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Another Fantastic Year of FLOW!
We want to thank our mentors, site leaders, and friends for making 2009-10 another great year for FLOW Mentoring. We have an incredible group of mentors and staff this year and it is their tireless dedication that has made this program a continuing success.
We wish all of our FLOW friends and family an excellent summer and we hope to see you all back for the next school year. Please tell your friends about FLOW mentoring over the summer months and encourage them to consider mentoring a child in their local school. As we all have witnessed over the past two years, a small time committment can make an incredible impact on a young person's life.
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About My Mentor
This speech was written by a mentee at Oakville Elementary about his mentor, Mr. Jeffrey Turbyne. He read the speech at Oakville's Volunteer Recognition Ceremony:
"Today I am here to talk about a person that I look up to and respect, Mr. Turbyne. He is a mentor in FLOW.
When I met him two years ago, I immediately liked him. He has always been a good listener, and a great storyteller. I really enjoy hearing him tell stories about what life was like for him when he was a kid.
In the time that I have known him, he has become my mentor, my friend, and I would even consider him my family.
Thank you for being there for me Mr. Turbyne."
- Mentee, Oakville Elementary
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Snapshots from FLOW
Mentor Mentee pairs at Lexington Park Elementary
Ridge Elementary FLOW Mentoring lives it up during their last meeting of the year!
Mentor Mentee pair at Greenview Knolls Elementary
Piney Point Elementary Mentors and Mentees get a visit from a four-legged friend.
Dynard Elementary Mentors and Mentees plant an Earth Day Garden.
Greenview Knolls Elementary Mentors and Mentees show off their recycled art masterpieces.
Oakville Elementary FLOW takes a tour of the Coast Guard Station.
A Mentor at Hollywood Elementary shares a collection of African artifacts with the group.
Mentors and Mentees at Benjamin Banneker Elementary make votives for the important women in their lives.
The Hollywood Elementary FLOW program does some major landscaping in the school courtyard.
Lexington Park Site Leader, Karyn Timmons, with a mentee.
Mentor Mentee Pair at Ridge Elementary
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In Their Own Words
The following is a selection of quotes from mentors, mentees, and teachers from our end-of-year surveys:
Mentees:
"The best thing is having someone help me and to just talk to."
Mentee, TCES
"My mentor is always standing by my side like a family member."
Mentee, TCES
"(My mentor) helps with my math, she makes me laugh, she cheers me up." Mentee, PPES
"Thank you for making me a part of FLOW." Mentee, PHES
Mentors:
"Taking time to spend with (my mentee) meant more than I ever thought it would." Mentor, RES
"I learned that even the little things I say or do are meaningful to (my mentee)." Mentor, TCES
"I have learned how much it means to a child to have someone show interest in him/her." Mentor, OES
"I never knew how good it would make me feel to mentor someone." Mentor, HES
Parents:
"I think this program is great--thank you!" Parent, HES
"FLOW made my daughter more confident in her work and socially as well. Thank you to the teachers and mentors." Parent, DES
"(My son) is even more excited about his future. His idea of what he wants to do through school has improved...Thank you for the very positive experience you provided him. Keep up the great work!" Parent, DES
"I see a different person in my child." Parent, LPES
Teachers:
"(Mentee) benefitted from the TLC this program offers. Her mentor made her feel important and special and that really improved her overall outlook toward school and taking responsibility towards her work." Teacher, LES
"(Mentee) is coming out of her shell. She seems excited and has a good attitude. If she feels troubled she is quicker to come talk to a teacher or guidance counselor." Teacher, MES
"(Mentee) looked forward to attending FLOW. It is important for him to feel like he is a part of something. Thanks!" Teacher, PPES
"(Mentee) has made wonderful growth this year. His school behavior and motivation have greatly improved overall." Teacher, GKES |
Staying in Touch
With Your Mentee
Over the Summer Months
Because we cannot allow FLOW mentors and mentees to contact each other directly outside of mentoring sessions (for the safety of everyone involved), we have devised a couple of options for FLOW Mentors and Mentees to communicate over the summer:
Snail Mail
You can write letters, postcards, or notes to your mentor or mentee throughout the summer. Just send the correspondence to us at the following address and we will send it on to your mentor/mentee:
FLOW Mentoring 23160 Moakley St.
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Please make sure you write the first and last name of who the letter is TO somewhere on the envelope or letter.
This process will take a couple days longer than direct mail, but it will mean a lot to your mentor/mentee to know you are thinking about him or her. We are also happy to provide self-addressed stamped envelopes for you. Ask your site leader or contact Sarah at the number or email below.
Email
If both mentor and mentee have access to email, you can email one another over the summer months by sending correspondence to the following address:
flowmentoring@gmail.com
Please make sure to write the first and last name of who the email is TO at the top of the email and we will forward it on to the recipient. We will try to be as quick as possible with our turn-around time.
Questions? Contact Sarah Tyson at:
srtyson@smcps.org or 301-475-5511, Ext. 145
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Michelle Obama Encourages Mentoring at Detroit Institute of Arts
The First Lady spoke in support of mentoring efforts at a White House youth leadership and mentoring luncheon in Detroit on Wednesday.
Denzel and Pauletta Washington Donate $1M to Steve Harvey Mentoring Program
Denzel and his wife make a generous contribution a new program called the Mentoring Weekend for Young Men.
Click here to read this article.
Mentoring Has Rewards for Both Youth, Adults
Hilary Krantz, a program coordinator at Youth Resources of Southwestern Indiana, outlines some of the benefits mentoring can have for both mentees and mentors.
Click here to read this article.
Wayne County 4-H Mentoring
Read about a community based mentoring program in Detroit and how it has changed the participants' lives--for the better!
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FLOW Thanks You!
Thank you for another great year of FLOW! We are already gearing up for a terrific 2010-11 school year, so 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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