Mentors For Kids
Mentors for Kids a school-based mentoring program within the Burlington School District. Mentors commit to spending one hour each week throughout the school year with their mentees enjoying a variety of activities during the school day or directly after school. Examples of activities include having lunch together, reading, playing board games, spending time in the computer lab, playing on the playground, helping with homework, and doing arts and crafts projects. Although the mentoring program is school-based, the focus of the mentor/mentee relationship is not on academics, but rather on building the self-esteem of the mentee, having fun, and establishing a quality relationship between the mentor and the mentee.
In addition to the weekly meetings that take place on school grounds, mentors also have the opportunity to participate in occasional group activities with their mentees. In recent years, these activities have included bowling, skiing, ice-skating, hiking, cookouts, apple picking and various gatherings with participants from other mentoring programs.
Adults who are interested in becoming volunteer mentors must complete a screening process that includes an application, interview, reference check, and criminal records check. We also require an initial training for mentors and provide additional training opportunities for mentors throughout the school year. After the completion of the screening process the Mentoring Coordinator works with in-school guidance staff to match the adult with a student based on need, interests, and personality. Mentors receive on-going support from the mentoring coordinator as well as from in-school staff.