What is it? Mentoring takes college students to serve as tutors, role models, and most of all friends to 5th-8th grade students from Lebanon Middle School.

What's the point of this program? The program is designed to work with students who are designated at risk academically or socially (low self-esteem, withdrawn, behavior problems, difficult family situations, etc.), especially those students at risk of dropping out of school.

Who will I be mentoring? Teacher and counselors are asked to nominate potential youth for the program as an exciting partnership between the Lebanon school students and college students in the hope of avoiding any stigmatization of the mentees.  Mentors and youth are matched as closely as possible on the basis of gender, race, interests, and academic needs and skills.

What would my responsibilities be?  1st Semester: Meet every other week on Thursdays.  2nd Semester: Menors designate times and places with their mentees alone.  Please note that this is a YEAR-LONG commitment--do not apply unless you are capable and desirous of participating the whole year.

Why would I want to do that?  "Spending one-on-one time with youth truly gives you the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life."--Ashley McCraven

I want to sign-up.  What next?  Click here for an application or contact the Center for Public Service with any questions or for more information.

View the Mentoring Photo Album!

Related links:

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America website

http://www.bbbs.org/site/c.diJKKYPLJvH/b.1539751/k.BDB6/Home.htm

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southern Illinois website

http://www.bbbsil.org/

MENTOR website

http://www.mentoring.org/index.php

United Way of Greater St. Louis website

http://www.stl.unitedway.org/difference/volunteer/information/default.aspx?id=636

Catholic Charities of Southern Illinois Volunteer Opportunities