Mentoring Program A Big Success For Local Elementary School

Friday, May 4th 2007, 7:39 pm

By: News On 6

A major mentoring push reaps big benefits for one Tulsa school. Almost 90 mentors volunteer every week at McClure Elementary School, and News On 6 education reporter Ashli Sims reports the program is changing the very fabric of the school.

"Her name is Mrs. Block, and she's the nicest mentor I've ever had," said McClure student Mariah Bellamy.

Nine-year-old Bellamy says she looks forward to this all week.

"Because she's real nice, and she listens to me and stuff," said Bellamy.

Bellamy and her mentor, Sharon Block, are part of a mentoring push McClure Elementary started almost three years ago.

"Oh, it's beyond belief what it's grown into," said McClure principal Susan Baston.

Baston wanted every child to have a mentor, and the school's partner in education B'nai Emunah has stepped up. Eighty-seven people now volunteer every week.

"After they pick up their child in their classroom, they come out to the mentoring center,â€ said mentor coordinator Sally Donaldson. â€œWe're very fortunate in that we have our own space at the school, and we're really self-contained."

The mentoring room is stocked with enrichment activities and games, and organizers say as mentor match-ups have risen, absenteeism and behavior problems have dropped.

"Well, we know. I'm not seeing kids in the office, because they're in trouble,â€ said Baston. â€œThey're at school every day. We're seeing their vocabulary enriched. We see their self-confidence."

Bellamy says her mentor helps her through the rough times.

"We talk about my problems at school and stuff, and how people are mean to me sometimes, and coming here makes it feel better," said Bellamy.

"I think she's a lot more confident in who she is and what she can accomplish," said Block.

And at McClure, just one hour a week is accomplishing so much. McClure's principal says the mentors have become part of the McClure family and are pitching in where ever they see a need. One mentor is actually paying for every third through fifth-grader to attend summer camp. They're celebrating the mentor program Sunday night at B'nai Emunah.

Watch the video: The Benefits Of Mentoring