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One Month to Go for FLOW...
The end of the school year is nearing, and our FLOW mentors and mentees will be enjoying one more month together before summer break. This is a time of celebrating our year together and looking forward to next year.
In this issue of the newsletter you will find pictures from our FLOW programs, tips for saying goodbye to your mentee, activity ideas, mentoring news articles, and information about the upcoming Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on May 18th.
Thank you to our mentors, site leaders, and friends for your continued dedication to FLOW!
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Hammin' it up during a photography workshop at Carver ES!
Building birdhouses at Lexington Park Elementary
 Dyeing eggs at Town Creek ES!
Weeding and mulching the school grounds at Hollywood E.S.
Playing kickball at the Chespeake Public Charter School
Problem solving at Town Creek E.S.
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Go to the Career Kids website with your mentee and help them create what will probably be their first resume.
The website makes it very easy for kids to showcase their skills and talents in a professional-looking, printable form.
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Saying
 to Your Mentee
It is challenging to say goodbye to a close friend under the best of circumstances, but it can be especially hard for a young person to make that transition. For that reason, whether you intend to continue mentoring next year or not, it is extremely important to be conscious of end of the school year - and the end of FLOW sessions for the year.
In our FLOW programs we will be doing a variety of closure activities such as reflecting on our time together, writing cards or letters to your mentee/mentor, decorating picture frames for each other, and celebrating the end of the year. Site Leaders will also talk about opportunities for meeting with your mentee over the summer and ways that you and your mentee can stay in touch (through the FLOW Mentoring email account or by sending mail to the FLOW Mentoring office).
As you talk with your mentee over this last month of meetings and participate in closure activities, we would like to offer you the following tips, in the hopes that they will help make saying goodbye a positive experience for both you and your mentee:
Tips for Saying Goodbye
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Spend some time reminiscing with your mentee about the fun things you have done over the year, and about the positive things your mentee has accomplished (whether they are social, academic, or just fun).
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Give your mentee an opportunity to talk about how saying goodbye makes him/her feel, and share with him/her how you feel about the transition. If your mentee is feeling sad, remind them of how lucky you have both been to have this time together.
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If you will not be able to continue working with your mentee, make sure you take the time to talk this through with him/her. Be honest about why you can't continue, but make sure they understand that it's not because they aren't important to you. Let them know how rewarding it has been to be their mentor this year and let them know how much you will miss them next year.
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Volunteer Recognition Ceremony
When: May 18th, 2010, 5-7 PM
Where: Chopticon High School Auditorium
Who: All FLOW Mentors and exceptional school volunteers will be honored.
If you are a FLOW Mentor and will be able to attend the ceremony, please R.S.V.P. by May 17th to Sarah Tyson at srtyson@smcps.org or 301-475-5511 x.145
Formal invitation to follow.
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In House Mentoring helps Oakland Youths Improve Grades
The "Promotion for All" mentoring program at Edna Brewer Middle School in Oakland, California helps failing eight graders reinvent their future.
A Debt That Cannot Be Repaid: A Tribute to a Mentor, Eugene Prandato
Albert Imperato pays tribute to his high school teacher, Eugene Prandato, who became a lifelong mentor.
Steelers attend Strong Girls Mentoring Program
Three Steelers football players show their support for the Strong Girls Mentoring Program in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
Mentoring Benefits all Involved, Not Just the Kids
Michele Cole talks about how becoming a mentor to a 10 year old girl has changed her life.
Read about Barry Mills who serves both as a boss and a mentor to high school freshman Rameek.
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Here at FLOW Mentoring we are already gearing up for a terrific 2010-11 school year! If you have any ideas of ways that we can improve our program for next year, please let us know.
And as always, if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a mentor, or would like to learn more about FLOW Mentoring, please visit our website at: www.smcps.org/mentor or contact Sarah Tyson at the address below.
Many thanks to our FLOW community,
Mark Smith, Sarah Tyson, and Maia Jones Your FLOW Mentoring team
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St. Mary's County Public Schools
23160 Moakley St., Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: 301-475-5511 x. 145
Fax: 301-475-2469
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