March 2012

FLOW Logo 
FLOW Mentoring Newsletter
St. Mary's County Public Schools 

 

 The mission of the Future Leaders of the World (FLOW) Mentoring Program is to foster positive mentoring relationships between students in St. Mary's County Public Schools and members of the community and to provide supported, safe, and inspiring environments in which these matches can cultivate the potential of each youth.
 
In This Issue
SAVE the DATE
Chopticon in DC
Middle school Photography Workshops
FLOW Mentoring in Action
Mentoring in the News
A Workshop Opportunity
Quick Links

 

Our Partners
 
 
St. Mary's College of Maryland Logo
Join Our Mailing List
  

 March Greetings!

 Spring is here; the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and FLOW Mentoring programs have been busy, busy, busy.

 

We thank all of our FLOW Mentors and supporters for another great month!   

 

 

SAVE THE DATE!
Monday, June 4 at 5pm

FLOW Site Leader & Mentor Appreciation Reception
and the SMCPS Volunteer Recognition Ceremony 
 
 
We truly appreciate all that our FLOW Site Leaders and Mentors do for their mentees during the school year.  
Please come out and let us honor you!   
And celebrate with us the end of another terrific year with FLOW. 

 Monday, June 4th, 5PM
at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center

  Please save the date!
Formal invitation to follow. 

 

Spotlight on Chopticon:
FLOW Trip to DC
 


With FLOW Mentors Ms. Charlottis Woodley and Mr. Antone Smith at the helm, the Chopticon High School FLOW program has flourished!
 
Several weeks ago, the group set out for Washington DC, visiting historical sites which most of the students had never seen before.  Their first stop was the Holocaust Museum, followed by a walk on the Mall where they visited the monuments.  They finished with a stop at the cherry blossoms, which, as it happened, were in perfect bloom.  Ms. Woodley reports it was a thrilling, wonderful day in which nothing could possibly have gone any better.  


 
 
 
 
Middle School FLOW Mentoring:
Creative Photography

Over the course of several weeks in March, the middle school FLOW programs engaged in a series of photography workshops.  Under the expert guidance of Candace Morrell, the students were introduced to basic techniques in digital photography and design. In a first session, they were instructed in issues of line, light, and perspective. In a second session, students took portrait photographs of one another, making use of props, special lighting and make-up.  Lastly, students were guided through a photo editing process and given free reign to work on their photographs within an online program. Each school group created their own portfolio of fabulous photographs - full of originality, humor, and artistry.  Displays of photographs by the FLOW middle schools students will be up in each of the schools in April-- please look for them!!!
 


                             
              
        
                                                           

FLOW Mentoring
In Action

Dynard 
Mentors and mentees get busy cleaning up the school grounds at Dynard Elementary. 
DynardDynard
------------ 
George Washington Carver Elementary FLOW
 built scarecrows for the 4th Annual BECA Dinner and Auction to raise funds for scholarships for students in St. Mary's County!
    

 
------------

 
Decorating eggs at Dynard Elementary!

   

 

Mentoring in the News

 

 

Research Shows Mentoring Needed for Disconnected Youth   

A national survey and research report released recently by America's Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises and Peter D. Hart Research Associates shows that mentoring can play an important role in helping young people who are detached from school and without a job find ways to get back on track. 
click here to read more  

 

 

Michelle Obama and Key White House Staff Mentor High School Girls

Michelle Obama opens up about her White House mentoring program in the January 2012 issue of More magazine. "Growing up the way that I did - kid from the South Side, going to public schools - the more my career developed, I realized how much I didn't see, how little exposure I had to opportunities."

 

Youth Describe Their Most Meaningful Relationship:    

Videos from the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth   In a new video series, four youth talk about the adults who changed their lives. These videos are a testament to the power of well-meaning adults to help young people get off the street, out of danger, or on a track toward self-sufficiency.

click here to read more 

 

A Workshop Opportunity for Mentors & Community Volunteers


Saturday, April 21, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Prince Frederick Library

Dr. Clara Carter, the former Director of Training for the Maryland Mentoring Partnership (MMP), will offer a training workshop titled Accomplishing Cross Cultural Competency in Youth Development Programs--Building Trust.

The workshop is sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake.  Dr. Carter and her work with MMP assisted the organization to emerge as a leader in the mentoring movement that has worked to make mentoring an integral part of Maryland's social fabric.  In her role at MMP, she was responsible for overseeing training and technical assistance to mentoring programs across the state and is recognized as an expert in the field of mentoring and youth development.  Dr. Carter is the primary trainer and consultant for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake.

Who should attend?: Program directors, project managers, school administrators, teachers, community volunteers, and mentors. 

 

Workshop description: 

This interactive training will enhance the participants' cultural competency skills and strengthen this aspect of their youth development program and knowledge base. Participants will explore their own cultural perspectives and the world view of others. Discussions will include: how does culture inform our program, our interaction with volunteers, youth, and families, and how do they perceive us as individuals and our programs. Taking the first steps towards a higher level of cultural competency for the individual participant and incorporating culturally competent measures into the youth development program as a whole will be detailed.

The training will cover the following topics:

·    Cultural Competency and the Impact on Building Youth Trust 

·     Understanding Today's Youth Culture
·     Effective Communication

·     Building Resiliency in Youth

 

Light refreshments will be provided. 

There is a fee of $25 for non-BBBS participants.  We are hoping to provide CEU's for those who are interested.

 

To register contact Mary Lu Gultekin at 301-290-0503 or

mgultekin@biglittle.org.

 

 
     
FLOW Logo

 Make a Difference-Become a Mentor!

If you would like to learn more about FLOW Mentoring, or are interested in becoming a mentor for the 2012-13 school year, please visit our website at:
www.smcps.org/ccr/mentor
or contact Sarah Tyson at the address below.

In gratitude,
Your FLOW Mentoring team   

FLOW Mentoring
St. Mary's County Public Schools
Department of College and Career Readiness
24005 Point Lookout Road
Leonardtown, MD  20650 
Phone: 301-475-0242 x.148  
Fax: 301-475-0245