Student mentors help children see potential, achieve goals
Project Connect offers students chance to help children grow
Autumn Stephens
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
"Help a kid fly" is the motto for Project Connect, a school-based mentoring program funded by the United Way that joins children and mentors one hour a week for a year. The organization collaborates with Des Moines Public School, Des Moines Area Religious Council and community volunteers to put a smile children's faces.
"I joined project connect because I plan to be a teacher," said Kate Burnette, secondary education and Spanish sophomore, said, "Having just one person to encourage a student can build a huge amount of confidence, and I want to be that person."
Helpakidyfly.com, Project Connect's website, states that one of their main goals is to utilize mentors in order to foster academic achievement and positive social/emotional development for at-risk students.
Burnette said, "I know how much stress school can put on a student when they are facing hardships at home."
Mentors and pupil can do activities that include reading, sharing a hobby, eating or just talking. Each mentor is trained through-out the year on various different tasks. All that must be done is to choose one hour of face time with a child. "Sometimes the children are the last ones to see how much potential they have," Burnette said, "Giving a kid that extra push to be successful means that one day he or she may want to do the same for others. So I hope that even after my work is done, I have inspired my mentee to make a difference as well."
Project Connect website has everything from becoming a volunteer to becoming a student to be mentored. You can also volunteer right from their page. If you have any questions about joining you can contact Mary-Beth Williams at (515) 339-1701 or visit www.helpakidfly.com.
''I want the Grand View community to know that Project Connect only asks for one hour a week of your time but that hour can make a huge difference in improving a kid's confidence, ambition, and work ethic," Burnette said, "It's an amazing organization."
"I joined project connect because I plan to be a teacher," said Kate Burnette, secondary education and Spanish sophomore, said, "Having just one person to encourage a student can build a huge amount of confidence, and I want to be that person."
Helpakidyfly.com, Project Connect's website, states that one of their main goals is to utilize mentors in order to foster academic achievement and positive social/emotional development for at-risk students.
Burnette said, "I know how much stress school can put on a student when they are facing hardships at home."
Mentors and pupil can do activities that include reading, sharing a hobby, eating or just talking. Each mentor is trained through-out the year on various different tasks. All that must be done is to choose one hour of face time with a child. "Sometimes the children are the last ones to see how much potential they have," Burnette said, "Giving a kid that extra push to be successful means that one day he or she may want to do the same for others. So I hope that even after my work is done, I have inspired my mentee to make a difference as well."
Project Connect website has everything from becoming a volunteer to becoming a student to be mentored. You can also volunteer right from their page. If you have any questions about joining you can contact Mary-Beth Williams at (515) 339-1701 or visit www.helpakidfly.com.
''I want the Grand View community to know that Project Connect only asks for one hour a week of your time but that hour can make a huge difference in improving a kid's confidence, ambition, and work ethic," Burnette said, "It's an amazing organization."
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