2008 Excellence in Mentoring Honorees
The Maryland Mentoring Partnership’s Excellence in
Mentoring Awards honor Maryland’s finest examples
of programs helping young people achieve their potential
through mentoring. In bestowing these awards, MMP looks
for programs that adhere to national standards for best
practices, achieve outstanding results for mentees and mentors,
and serve as committed advocates for the mentoring movement
in Maryland.
Award recipients represent the corporate, government, faith,
community and higher education sectors. MMP is pleased to
present the 2008 Excellence in Mentoring Award honorees:
Corporate
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at Medfield Heights
Elementary School
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and Medfield Heights
Elementary School have partnered together to provide a mentoring
program since 2002. Currently, 27 Coldwell Banker sales
associates and employees mentor 61 fourth graders. The mentors
started working with the students when they were in the
third grade and will follow them through the fifth grade
when they “graduate” from Medfield.
Unlike many other mentoring programs, students are not
selected to participate; the entire grade is included in
the program. When the fifth graders graduate, the mentors
will return the next school year to work with the third
grade class, whom they will then follow for three years.
This longer term commitment allows for more effective bonding
which sometimes can take a year or more to germinate.
Coldwell Banker is also a member of the Medfield Partnership
group, which is comprised of businesses, churches, colleges
and others who work with Medfield to maximize the learning
experience for its students. In addition to the mentoring
program, the company makes direct monetary donations to
the school to help purchase much needed books and magazines.
The goal is to support the school, especially its diverse
student population, and present a hopeful and positive view
of people and the community we inhabit.
Government
GEMS Mentoring Program
GEMS is an after-school club that incorporates social and
health education for sixth, seventh and eighth grade female
students at Salisbury Middle School and Bennett Middle School.
Partial funding for this project was provided by the Title
V, section 510 of the Abstinence Education Grant Program,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
for Children and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau,
through the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
Center for Maternal and Child Health.
The GEMS program emphasizes abstinence from pre-marital
sex, tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs in order to achieve
educational and personal goals. Emphasizing responsible
behavior, the program fosters self-esteem and confidence.
Parents are encouraged to volunteer and participate in the
educational and social activities with their daughters.
The GEMS program provides opportunities for members to
participate in social and cultural events, family homework,
individual case management and referral services, and community
service activities. In addition, specially trained college-aged
mentors are engaged to promote GEMS’ self-esteem and
support their positive goals for the future.
Faith-Based
Mentoring
to Manhood
Mentoring to Manhood (MTM) is a grassroots, Christian-based
mentoring program created in April 2005 by dedicated and
concerned professional black men of Prince George’s
County. Today MTM provides mentoring, tutoring and developmental
activities for more than 30 male students. The mission of
MTM is to produce young men who achieve their God-given
potential by providing information and resources to help
students make more effective choices.
Mentoring to Manhood, Inc. has as its genesis a challenge
from God to teach young men how to reach their full potential.
The group’s mentoring is based on biblical principles
and MTM mentors are grateful to be involved with a work
of God to touch the lives of young men.
Community-Based
Asian American
LEAD (Montgomery County)
Asian American Leadership, Education, and Development (AALEAD)
was founded in 1998 with the mission to promote the well-being
of low-income Asian American youth and families in and around
Washington, DC.
AALEAD's fundamental goal is to increase the opportunities
and ability of low-income Asian American children, and to
move out of poverty and become successful, self-sufficient
adults. AALEAD firmly believes that education is the key
to meeting this goal. However, AALEAD understands that children
need more than academic assistance to succeed, and uses
a multi-faceted approach to youth development, including
after-school intervention in a safe space, mentoring, family
support, and educational advocacy.
The goal of AALEAD’s Mentor Program is to develop
high quality mentoring relationships that address key risk
factors, provide positive role models, and increase the
likelihood that each child becomes a successful, self-reliant
adult. AALEAD recruits, selects, matches, and trains adult
volunteers to mentor students one-to-one. Each mentor undergoes
a comprehensive orientation and is supervised regularly
by Yamir Perez, AALEAD’s Mentor Program Manager.
The success of the Mentor Program stems from four central
elements: culturally-minded models and practices; effective
program management; dedication to youths’ needs; and
participants committed to each other, and to the community.
School-Based
Wicomico
Mentoring Project
The Wicomico Mentoring Project is a one-to-one program
that brings community members into Wicomico County Public
schools to work with students who are at risk of educational
failure. Starting in 1994 with 27 mentors, the program has
grown to support 900 matches this year.
Mentors are asked to give just one hour a week for the
school year to meet with their students, and the meetings
take place on school property during the school day. A little
bit of time makes a lot of difference: Of the 681 students
on whom data could be compiled last year, 50% of them improved
their grades, 33% improved their attendance, and 45% improved
their behaviors. Over 500 children, grades K-12, are on
the referral list, waiting for a mentor.
Last year the Wicomico Mentoring Project received the Leadership
Award in Education from the Shore Leadership Alumni Association.
In the past, the program has received recognition as an
example of best practices from America's Promise, the Herculean
Award from the Maryland Mentoring Partnership, and a First
Place Award of Excellence from the Office of the Attorney
General's Spotlight on Prevention.
