January is National Mentor Month, and at IDFY we want to recognize that and even celebrate it. Mentoring is not just valuable, but essential in young person’s life. In its absence young people face an unnecessary challenge to effectively navigate the stream of messages through which they must sift on a daily basis. While most often the term mentoring is defined as adult to young person, at IDFY we also prescribe to the theory that positive older students are not only helpful as they serve younger peers, but also vital in the school environment. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Belonging. The need to belong is far and above one of the most compelling psycho-social needs young people seek. When young people belong and are accepted in positive ways they are more likely to resist the lure of drugs and alcohol, and refrain from engaging in unhealthy forms of physical expression. Belonging is prevention; and mentoring provides belonging.

2. While the value of adults as mentors is undeniable, they are also often professionals and community members who carry on busy lives, which quickly becomes an obstacle to consistent interaction between the adult and student. But when students mentor younger students they share the same hallways, classrooms, school-wide community, and activities. Therefore they are available for young students every day.

3. Every new student who enters your school their first year becomes instantly connected to a positive voice in the school. Someone whose attitude toward school and life expresses the very essence of what education is striving to achieve.

4. It’s powerful! While student mentors haven’t achieved the wisdom that comes with adulthood, they have plenty of enthusiasm, acceptance, support, positive energy, and guidance to offer younger students who are seeking it anyway. It makes the school environment a community and students become connected.
While IDFY would never say that student to student mentoring should replace adult to student mentoring, it certainly is a valuable and beneficial enhancement and/or substitute to adult to student mentoring.

In his Harvard Education review of Thomas Sergiovanni’s book, Building Community in Schools, Joel Westheimer highlights this reference, “… community building must be the basis for school reform efforts that seek to improve teaching and learning.” While Westheimer’s summary isn’t specifically referring to student to student mentoring, it does highlight a key benefit that is experienced from educators who implement student to student mentoring.

Joey James, counselor at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake, ID expresses, “The implementation of the VOICE program has been an essential key in developing a positive atmosphere at Timberlake High School. The older students gain as much, if not more, from the program as those they mentor. The process of bringing new 9th grade students into the fold through their mentors, helps them feel immediately accepted with the rest of the student body. In turn, these students enjoy being connected to Timberlake and have a greater desire to come to school and be productive members of the THS community.”

This month is a great opportunity to recognize the power of mentoring, and also investigate if student to student mentoring might be right for your school.

Click here to learn more, or contact me at Greg@idahodrugfreeyouth.org.

Cheers,
Greg Sommers
IDFY Director of Outreach

A limited number of spots are available, and students will be selected to attend the academy based on an online application process. 50 scholarships for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students are available and will be awarded regionally with up to 3 from each community eligible. Applications will be available from December 27th-January 10th. Follow this link to apply. Students will be notified about their acceptance by January 11th.

But Andrew wasn’t always so influential. Growing up, people had told him he wasn’t good enough, popular enough, or smart enough. By the time he was in Jr. High, he had a low self esteem, no friends, and bad grades. As a way to escape his reality, he eyed the pill cabinet and beer in the bottom of the refrigerator.

But thanks to a few people who introduced him to Idaho Drug Free Youth, Andrew’s life changed forever. He became empowered to live above the influence of drugs and alcohol and take on leadership roles in his school.

In his words, today he is “the opposite of what I used to be. Now I am an open-minded, driven, self-motivated, aspiring visionary who wants nothing more than to help others and change the world.”

Idaho Drug Free Youth is changing the future of countless young people like Andrew. To unleash their potential and to broaden its influence on youth, IDFY has established programs in communities across the state and continues to train kids and adults at ongoing events.

Your year-end gift today will help us empower young people like Andrew while also providing students with education and life-affirming support. Through December 31st, 2011, your donation will qualify for a tax deduction and an additional tax credit.

Through December 31st, 2011, your donation will qualify for a tax deduction and an additional tax credit.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION