Studies have shown that youth are helped by the love and guidance of a caring adult in an ongoing relationship. Partners believes all children need mentors for healthy development. Society once provided adult mentors to youth through extended family and intimate communities. Higher divorce rates and frequent household relocation are just two examples of how, and why, our society has changed. Partners simply provides what our society and community has lost, namely the opportunity for children to bond with older, thoroughly screened and trained individuals outside of the immediate family.

TESTIMONIALS

Senior Partners say

"I've experienced immense satisfaction from watching her (Junior Partner) grow and become more confident. I think it is really important to show kids that the whole world is open to them".

"Hanging out with someone young keeps me young."

"It's rewarding and feels really good. Seeing the changes in my Junior Partners has been really cool."

"I can tell it's something my JP appreciates, it's good for him and therefore it's good for me."

"Spending time with someone young helps me reaffirm my values."

"I'm more active than I've been in years."

Junior Partners say

"Partners is a lot of fun, you get really close to [your Senior Partner] and kinda feel like they are your real brother or sister."

"Once in a while when I have a fight with a friend I ask my Senior Partner for advice."

"Partners has a talent for putting people together and making good partnerships."

"We just have fun!"

"I was part of Partners for about five or six years and it really changed my life. When I joined, my parents were going through a really hard time. I think it was only a few weeks and I was partnered with Verla. She really made an effort to show me new things and make me feel like a part of her family. Even when Verla left I still felt like Partners was a kind of family [for me]. The activities were something I looked forward to doing and summer camps were a great get-away. I still feel Partners helped me to realize myself and when I am more secure and out of college, I hope to be a Senior Partner".

School-Based Mentor Quotes
Our middle schools say....

"I have enjoyed my two years working with this program. I see the benefits all the way around. The school has help to run programs, which is worthwhile. The students have another positive influence in their daily lives. The teachers have fresh, new influences with each mentor. The mentor, hopefully, takes some lessons from the school. The community sees the whole effect. Thank you so much for this program!"

"The program and the quality of the mentors you have provided over the last three years since I have been here has been tremendous. The school-based program is an invaluable part of the interventions we are able to provide to our students."

"Our mentor is positive, calm person who coaches her students to treat each other respectfully and to communicate differences in a positive way. She is very supportive of her caseload and their academic needs."

"For the amount of money it takes to support this program, our students receive ten-fold in return"

"It is crucial for middle school students to make connections with adults, to have someone they can count on, and trust, and to build relationships that are not always present in their lives. The school-based mentoring program is a perfect opportunity for our students to make these connections."

"They [School-Based Mentors] make a difference in the lives of the students who need it most."