The StrengthBuilding Partners Mentoring Program
History
In 2001
staff at Lawrence Intermediate School, who were participating in
StrengthBuilding Training & Coaching, identified the need for a mentoring
program for their students. In response to this need, StrengthBuilding Partners
(SBP) began meeting with members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe (PYT). A partnership
was created with a common goal of creating a mentoring program that would
impact the students at Johnson Primary and Lawrence Intermediate Schools. SBP
began searching for funding and in October 2002 was awarded a
grant from the Governor's Division of Drug Policy through a grant provided by
the U.S. Department of Education, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities
Title IV Program through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The SBP Mentoring Program was created,
cementing the partnership between SBP, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Johnson
Primary and Lawrence Intermediate Schools as they worked together to develop a
successful mentoring program. In 2009 SBP and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe expanded
its partnership to include youth referred to the mentoring program through the
Sewa Uusim Systems of Care Program of the PYT Health Department.
The emphasis of the program is on a supportive, caring experience, and the development of a trusting relationship over time. The child is given undivided attention, and the focus is on his/her thoughts, feelings and dreams.
Mission
The
overall mission of the SBP Mentoring Program is to provide an innovative,
school-based mentoring program through a unique collaboration between the
schools and SBP, a community based non–profit organization. The program is specifically for first through
eighth grade children with the greatest need. We are committed to evaluate its
effectiveness through a rigorous evaluation process.
Goals and Outcomes
The goals of the program are:
- to provide general guidance;
- to increase participation in, and enhance the ability to benefit from, elementary and secondary education;
- to encourage the setting of goals and planning for the future, including encouragement of graduation from secondary school and planning for postsecondary education or training.
The outcome
of the program is an increased number of youth graduating from high school and,
moving on to college or other types of training that will prepare them to be
productive and successful citizens.
The Program
The
StrengthBuilding Partners Mentoring Program is currently in operation at
Johnson Primary, Lawrence Intermediate and Hohokam Middle Schools as well as
various surrounding schools which the Sewa Uusim mentees attend. Group
activities and community projects, facilitated by StrengthBuilding Partners, as
well as one to one visitation take place on a weekly basis at Johnson, Lawrence
and Hohokm.
Named by the Hohokam mentors and mentees,
the program is known as SBP’s M&M (Mentor & Mentee) Connection.” Mentors
are recruited from the community and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe for the program. Caring
adults are always being sought for the Mentoring Program. The primary
requirement is a desire to help a student grow in his or her self-esteem,
confidence and feeling of self-worth.
Celebrating Mentoring
At the close of each academic year SBP staff and mentees plan a celebration in honor of the successful completion of a year of mentoring and service. The celebration has been an annual community event since 2003. Bringing together mentors, mentees, parents, school staff, tribal representatives and other community members, the event has changed in its appearance based upon the wishes of the mentees. Since 2010, the event, the Festival of Stars Ice Cream Socials, takes place at each school during the school day. Everyone associated with the Mentoring Program is welcome to join us as mentors and mentees celebrate their relationships!
Funding
Contact Marie Stickford at maxkatie@msn.com or by phone at 520- 404-6275 for information regarding making a donation of items, food or money for the Mentoring Program.
News Flash 2012
In collaboration with the University of Arizona-
Southwest Institute for Research on
Women (UA-SIROW), the SBP Mentoring Program is beginning its newest undertaking:
the iSTEM Project. This three year program, funded by the National Science
Foundation, will continue SBP’s work matching mentors and mentees grades 3 to 8
who will learn together about various science, technology, engineering and math
(STEM) topics. The iSTEM project will provide activity kits for the in-school
mentoring sessions and field trips, organized by the UA, that will further
illustrate and enhance the activities completed by the mentee/mentor pairs. The
goal of the project is to provide opportunities for the mentees to explore STEM
activities and career opportunities with an added objective of fostering
continued education through high school and post secondary endeavors.
