Reaching Those Needing a Boost

The Educational Champions program mentors high school students who need a boost to complete high school and be prepared for the step afterwards. Educational Champions focuses on motivating them, advocating for them when necessary at school or for other services, and guiding them to develop and use skills that will bring results. We are about sowing hope and harvesting accomplishments!

All too often, students run into obstacles that cause them to lower their expectations of themselves. Left unaddressed, these changes in perspective can lead to poor choices with peers, lessened educational accomplishments, diminished earning potential, and that empty feeling that goes with missed opportunities as seen in hindsight. Our program mentors students through the tough times and serves as a bridge between their aspirations and school, family relationships, and community-based programs. In the end, it encourages the student to take responsibility for future results and to benefit from the support of parents and family, teachers and counselors, and community members. In this way, the Education Champion program is not a school project but collaborates with the LINK Family Resource Center to access community services.

We engage the high school student who requires more than what the school and parents can provide. This is not due to indifference but because of circumstances that demand support beyond the time and ability of others. Our role is to work with the schools and community to identify and then help these students who would benefit from articulating their dreams and then guiding them as challenges arise. It starts with a dream, the students’ aspirations of themselves in the future. It begins working when the student accepts that they can make a difference for him/herself and becomes engaged in his/her future. That is the power an Educational Champion mentor can bring forth in our youth.

Reaching Out to Impact Lives

We mentor 'at-promise' high school students intending to motivate them to set powerful goals and to benefit from family and community resources in order to achieve their dreams. This is done through a program called Educational Champions.

We engage the high school student who requires more than what the school and parents can provide. This is not due to indifference but because of circumstances that demand support beyond capacity. Our role is to identify and then help these students articulate their dreams and then navigate the incremental steps in the right direction. It starts with a dream, the students’ aspirations of themselves in the future. It begins working when the student accepts responsibility and becomes engaged in his/her future. That is the power of a mentor to bring forth in our youth.

A foundation to our work is the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets. Divided into external and internal assets, this research-backed resource offers clarity and strategies to those interested in supporting our youth.

Our focus in the Educational Champions (EC) program is to develop mentoring relationships with youth experiencing challenges resulting in poor choices or missed opportunities. Through the use of adult role models and relationships with adults outside the family, the EC mentor relies on a developmental relationships framework to build trust, convey empathy, challenge, advocate, and celebrate with the youth. The mentor seeks to provide inspiration to stretch beyond what seems possible.

I conclude this brief introduction by suggesting that the next time you feel overwhelmed by the needs of at-promise youth or hear someone complain about ‘those kids’, encourage them to consider ways they can make a difference for our youth. Suggest that they look over the 40 Developmental Assets.