SFUSD’s Program “Mentoring for Success” Providing Key Support for Struggling Teens

01/17/12

Mentors, backed by quality mentoring programs, play a powerful role in preventing substance abuse and youth violence, as well as boosting academic achievement and workforce readiness. In several San Francisco’s public schools, mentors are working with at-risk teens through Mentoring for Success.

Project Arrive, one of Mentoring for Success’ programs, began working in Thurgood Marshall, John O’Connell, Galileo, and Mission High Schools this fall. It provides group mentoring for ninth graders, with a history of poor attendance flagged by SFUSD's Early Warning Indicator (EWI) system. Since then, students with Project Arrive mentors at Mission High have begun outperforming their EWI cohorts at other schools.

“The main thing we are doing differently with these students is involving them in Project Arrive,” says Mission High’s principal Eric Guthertz. “It’s giving us a way to help keep struggling students from falling through the cracks. It’s really been the right thing for our school.” Guthertz is also taking part as a mentor.

Currently all Project Arrive mentors are school staff, but next year, members from community organizations will be recruited.

Mentoring for Success began matching individual students with adult mentors seven years ago. Since then the program has expanded to 36 schools serving 600 students. Since its inception, 2,000 students have gained guidance and support from caring adults at school, resulting in about 40 percent of involved youth improving their attendance and academic performance. Eighty-six percent of mentored students say their mentors help them do better in school.

National Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month, and SFUSD's Mentoring for Success program is recruiting mentors. On January 26, Thank a Mentor Day, current mentors will be publically acknowledged at an evening reception at Dolores Park Café (18th & Dolores Streets in San Francisco).

Read more about being a mentor for Mentoring for Success, or contact Erin Farrell at (415) 242-2615 or farrelle@sfusd.edu. To become a mentor, please complete an application with the San Francisco Education Fund.