What is the Mentor Program? | Program Coordinators | Program History | Topics
How to volunteer to be a mentor
men' tor: a person who teaches, counsels, and inspires a student with similar interests. The relationship is characterized by mutual caring, depth, and response*.
Expanding the Learning Experience
Beyond the conventional classroom lies a world of learning students can only imagine:
the world of the professions, or of expertise in a particular subject. For students who are ready, a mentor can open the door to this new dimension of learning by sharing themselves, their interests and their experience. And in the process of sharing, the mentor benefits, too.
As one mentor said, "It's great for me to use skills from my profession, and feels good to do something for people. It's rewarding to work one-to-one, or with a small group. Kids, teachers and parents have all been very appreciative. I've had a very good experience."
Students in this program grow in several ways. They welcome the advanced, focused approach a mentor can bring to a specific topic or subject area. And, the personal attention they receive enables them to explore new levels of themselves and their abilities.
Sharing Your Expertise
Nominated by teachers, counselors, parents, or through their own initiative, students are selected to participate based on their capacity for sustained attention to a specific topic or general area, their hunger for the opportunity to explore an area in-depth, and their ability to appreciate a personal relationship. A student is matched to a mentor by a school coordinator, who searches the district Mentor Bank for a qualified person, based on similar interests.
How It Works
Mentors offer their time in many ways, from once a week throughout the school year, to a set number of meetings over a limited period of time.
Mentors and students meet during the school day, in the student's school, under the supervision of a district coordinator and school personnel.
The mentor and the student create a plan for their time together. Often this will include a project the student wishes to share with others at the close of the mentorship.
A building coordinator facilitates communication between mentor, teacher, and student, and ensures that each mentorship progresses to the satisfaction of mentor and student.
Adults and high school students have served in Yorktown schools as mentors in the areas of literature, writing, and the sciences.
We would like to expand our Mentor Bank. Won't you consider offering your expertise ?
Simply print and fill out the volunteer form, and return it to the address listed. Or, for more information, call the Mentor Program Coordinator at 243-8006.
By acting today, you make it possible for an interested student to expand his or her learning experience. Please respond now!
Director: Cindy Russell (parent volunteer)
Building Parent Coordinator Staff Coordinator French Hill (K-2) open Colleen Mangan Mohansic (K-2) Sue Katz Colleen Mangan Brookside (3-5) Laurie Franklin Beth Cresimanno Crompond (3-5) Dianne Press Ann Fazio Mildred Strang M.S. (6-8) open Jannine Bartko
School Year 2000-2001 1999-2000 1998-1999 1997-1998
Computer/Internet Literature Basic Sciences Math Stock Market Banking Writing (Journalism) Nature Gardening Writing (scripts/short stories) Italian (language & culture) International Public Relations Writing (poetry) French (language & culture) Voice/Theater Astronomy Bio-Chemistry Biology Optical Illusions/Perception Psychology as a Science Art Software/Websites Creative Guitar Use GO (the Asian game)