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Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter?
When you were a child, do you remember having a supportive adult in your life (other than a parent) that made a positive impact?
Research from the Search Institute (The 40 Developmental Assets) has shown that, for adolescents, receiving support from three or more non-parent adults is important to their success in school and their growth as happy, healthy, contributing members of their communities.
T.E.A.M. Tuskers, a one-to-one mentoring program, is based on this premise. This Somers Central School District (SCSD) program pairs students in grades 3 through 8 with caring adults within the community. These students meet with their mentors for one hour per week during the school year,and all meetings take place on school grounds, either at Somers Intermediate School (SIS) or Somers Middle School (SMS). During their time together, mentees and mentors have access to games, art supplies, puzzles, sports equipment, drinks and snacks. Students who are in the program in 8th grade will have the opportunity to continue mentoring with their mentor in high school.
