Mentoring for John Muir High’s Female Students

In response to my article about a I was asked if there were a similar group for the girls. Upon checking around I found that indeed there is such a group; in fact there are several.

One organization is called, “Links-Up for Success: Connecting Through Mentoring.”

My initial meeting revealed that Dr. Eddie Newman, a former principal at Muir and now retired, was one of the organizers of the Links-Up program at this school. Her tenure as the principal was from 1996-2003. My teenage daughter attended Muir during that time. Dr. Newman has a very interesting story as well, but that would mandate an entirely separate article.

Here's a little about the group from its own charter information:

They were chartered February 9, 1963. The chapter consisted of a group of dedicated women who were active in the community and who would serve as role models, mentors, activists and volunteers toward purposeful service in improving every aspect of their local community.

There are five facets of the program, which include National Trends and Services, The Arts, Services to Youth, Health and Human Services, and International Trends and Services. The programs are implemented through strategies such as public information and education, economic development, and public policy campaigns.

The mission of the program has been toward eliminating problems of black youth and their families in seven target areas: teenage pregnancy, juvenile crime, substance abuse, mental and emotional illnesses/disorders, breakdown of the family, unemployment, and education. In essence this program is trying to make a positive impact on the youth and the families that they serve.

The group has a great ratio of mentors to students.  As I observed a portion of their meeting there seemed to have been almost as many mentors present as there were students. On that particular day I counted about 11 adult volunteers with just fifteen girls currently enrolled in the program.

Through my working with various male groups I find that females tend to get more involved in group-help organizations than do males. They seem to have the knack of getting things done while males tend to be slower even in getting involved. (Sorry, guys!)

The Links-Up group meeting started with a unique pledge, which was written by the students themselves with a little assistance from the mentors. It basically states their allegiance to the mission or intent of the program. 

The choice of the library as their meeting site was a much more comfortable surrounding in which to meet, with couches and comfortable chairs, rather than the plain classroom bungalow where the males meet.

Apparently this particular group has been in development for about a year and a half starting with the freshman class of September 2010. The plan is to follow these girls throughout their high school years and assist them in becoming and achieving their best.

The adult volunteers discuss relevant things that young females go through at this stage of life including dealing with young males, peer pressure, health, grades, personal problems and such. They prepare presentations for getting the girls involved in the discussions. There is also a pre-planned agenda that dictates the activities and scheduled events.

This group meets twice a month in workshops with additional field trips scheduled to introduce them to things they may not have an opportunity to do in their normal lifestyles.

The key goal is to fill the void where it is most helpful. To do that, it is up to the volunteers to find out what is most essential and needed. Similarly to the male group, more can be achieved if there are one-on-one conversations where one could discover the exact needs of each student. Some of these young people do not have such an outlet in their immediate family environments.

Although this program is relatively new at Muir High, the potential to become successful is probable because of the participation from the community volunteers. It is usually more difficult to find ready, willing, and able volunteers to give back to our youth. This, however, was not the case with this group.

In addition to the Links-Up program I also discovered a second group that deals specifically with mentoring young girls. This group is called Just for Girls, which is part of the Mustangs on the Move program at John Muir High. They meet twice a week during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays right next door to the bungalow where the MPYD males meet.

Their program provides a safe space to talk about healthy relationships, body image and self-esteem, peer pressure, sexuality education, career pathways and other important topics for young women.

This group seems to be well organized as well and had a very structured brief meeting covering a lot of ground in their abbreviated available time. They are affiliated with the YMCA and dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. They are also an independent 501c3 program, which is a non-profit organization.

All these volunteers and workers give because they know there is a void that needs filling. Apparently there are more such groups and organizations in our area than we may realize. They are in the trenches pushing and doing things. This makes you think, “What can I offer to help fill my part of this void?”

A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Just one child lost is one too many. The "No Child Left Behind" programs will require the full cooperation of parents, teachers, community residents and mentors as well.

Apparently there are plenty Mustangs on the Move down at John Muir High performing mentoring programs in order to help propel our young children to their full potential. Thanks to all the workers and volunteers that perform this great community service. Even though the harvest field is plentiful, it is good to know that we have some good workers trying to fill this gigantic need.