Who we serve
We work with some amazing middle and high schoolers living in one of the several affordable housing communities in Northeast Seattle. They are culturally diverse, fluently communicate in several languages, are courageous, hilarious, kind, thoughtful, resilient, fun to be around, and more!
Who we serve
We work with some amazing middle and high schoolers living in one of the several affordable housing communities in Northeast Seattle. They are culturally diverse, fluently communicate in several languages, are courageous, hilarious, kind, thoughtful, resilient, and more!
Why we choose to start with middle schoolers
Although it takes more time and effort to engage a middle schooler as compared to a younger child, once engaged you are more likely to maintain that engagement into high school. The approach and needs may differ, but the trust and relationship will be built and can be leveraged to encourage good choices and a caring accountability throughout high school or even beyond.
Middle school can be a difficult and lonely time. Feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy over their grades, social status with peers, or family life can have a major effect on how a teen feels. Having a caring community of support behind a youth at this age can have a profound positive impact.
The tween and teen year can often be challenging times for kids to relate to their families. They want to be independent, but aren't always ready and they often challenge authority. A mentor is cross between an authority figure and a friend. Studies show that kids with mentors have better relationships with their parents.
We really enjoy middle schoolers! They can be sweet and silly like a younger child, but are old enough to talk about and tackle tough things. And they keep it real!