April 2016
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
On Site with FLOW!
Mentoring News
Become a Mentor!
Quick Links

 

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

SPRING IS HERE!
spring-word-flowers.jpg
 
It's that time of year when we start to hear the birds chirping and the flowers are blooming! This is also the time of year when we truly start to see the growth among our mentees and mentors in their time that they have spent together. Our year is quickly winding down and there is only one more month left of our FLOW Mentoring year! 


 We hope that you continue to make lasting memories in this last month! 

Spring Ridge FLOW 
Cares for their Community
Our Amazing FLOW Community

Our Spring Ridge Middle School FLOW program takes helping its community seriously. This winter, after a brainstorming session between mentors and student mentees, they took on an issue facing many Spring Ridge students: a lack of basic school supplies. Under the new-found leadership skills of eighth-grader Victoria Harris - and partnering with the 21st Century after-school program - they distributed $1,500 worth of school supplies, including "Welcome" backpacks to new transfer students. By unpacking, organizing, and distributing the donated supplies, mentees and mentors learned important lessons, and helped address some of the immediate needs of Spring Ridge students.

On Site with FLOW:
Spring is in the Air! 

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Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary
building garden beds and enjoying an egg hunt!
 

 

 
 
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Benjamin Banneker Elementary using problem solving and engineering skills to build a nest for a peep using limited materials!




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Greenview Knolls Elementary planting flowers!






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Mechanicsville Elementary think about what brings them luck & works on listening and teamwork skills by playing challenging games!  






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Oakville Elementary planting flowers!



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Choptican High School
visited Towson University & learned to "Dress for Success" thanks to Mens Warehouse!
 
Mentoring News
 

 

 

A Strong Foundation

This short video highlights the impact that having a trusted adult in your life can make a huge difference!



Cultivating a Growth Mindset

This article highlights how MENTOR & City Year are joining forces with Stanford University's Project for Education that scales to develop a toolkit that will be accessible by many! So far the toolkit is being piloted in select cities and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback.

BECOME A MENTOR
We need you. 
They need you. 


Some FAQs about FLOW Mentoring:

Why mentoring?
Because it works! Educational research has shown that mentoring is extremely effective in increasing academic performance and positive social interactions among young people. And you asked for it! Nine years ago, the most common request to the Department of Academic Support was for a quality mentoring program. We worked hard to develop and implement a school based mentoring program that meets the needs of our students here in St. Mary's County Public School-and we're proud to say we've been at it for eight years!   
 

Who are the Mentors? 

How are they selected?

Our dedicated roster of Mentors come from all over Southern Maryland with hugely diverse backgrounds.  Many are business professionals and military personnel.  Others are school staff members, parents, grandparents, secondary students, college students, retired citizens, and other caring and responsible community members.   They have all submitted applications, been screened, and have gone through Mentor Training before they begin to work with their student mentee.   


 

When and where does the mentoring take place?  

Mentoring takes place after school once a week for an hour and a half at the student's home school. This ensures that students do not miss any part of their academic day.


 

How are the student mentees selected?

At each school, the FLOW Site Leader consults with teachers, counselors, administrators, the nurse, and other staff to develop a list of students that are most likely to benefit from the program.


How can I apply? 
To apply to become a Mentor with FLOW Mentoring, we require that you complete a FLOW Mentoring Mentor Application and an SMCPS Volunteer Application (this is required of all volunteers in our school system).

Please click on the links below to view printable versions of each application.

When you have completed both applications, please mail, fax, or email the applications to:
 
Sarah R. Tyson, FLOW Mentoring IRT 
FLOW Office Location:
Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center 
24005 Point Lookout Road 
Leonardtown, MD  20650 
Phone: 301-475-0242 ext. 28128
Fax: 301-475-0245 
flow@smcps.org 
 


 If you need further persuasion, click on the article link below to read more about the importance of mentoring.

 
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 2016-17 school year, please visit our website at: 
 
or contact Sarah Tyson at the address below.

In gratitude,
Your FLOW Mentoring team  
  

FLOW Mentoring
St. Mary's County Public Schools
Department of Student Services
24005 Point Lookout Road
Leonardtown, MD  20650 
Phone: 301-475-0242 x.28128
Fax: 301-475-0245