It's National Mentoring Month!

January is National Mentoring Month, which honors the positive effect mentoring has on young lives and highlights the need for many more adults to provide support and guidance for young people.  

“Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter,” say our friends at the National Mentoring Partnership. “Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity.”

Young adults who have strong adult support or mentors are much more likely to attend class, have a better attitude about school, enroll in college, hold leadership positions, volunteer and become mentors themselves.

We're especially thankful this month for our AchieveMpls Graduation Coaches, 120 amazing community volunteers who mentor 300+ 9th and 12th grade students at four MPS schools. Our Coaches meet with students twice each month throughout the school year, helping them stay on track, graduate on time and prepare for life after high school.

This investment of time and care pays off. Last year, 96% of our participating seniors completed the Graduation Coaches program with a plan for post-secondary education, work or other opportunities after graduation. 

"My Grad Coach doesn’t know the full impact he had on me,” one student told us. “He wasn’t just another person asking 'What’s your GPA?' He was someone who helped me figure out my life and put things in a new perspective."  

We invite you to learn more about this life-changing program and consider joining us for the 2017-18 school year. For more information, contact our Graduation Coaches Manager Amy Shapiro at 612-455-1550.