KellyFairTheMentor is extending her mentoring base to include undergraduate college students! Her new bi-weekly column, “The Yard”, is on jetmag.com and aims to help undergraduates excel in their studies and social lives. Spread the word & check out her article here!  The first blog is about where to find a great mentor on campus! 

Thanks for having lunch today with me, KellyFairTheMentor!  Happy National Mentoring Month 2014!  What better way to end the month, but by assisting individuals who are eager to grow their efforts in mentoring youth!

Here’s my response to a question from Coretta Jackson in Bloomington, IL

“I am in the beginning stages of developing a NFP youth organization in Bloomington Normal. I lucked up and received wonderful feedback from several adults in the community with the similar vision that I have for the kids here. In total, there will be 7 of us (6 women and 1 man) launching the program. Each of us have a special niche that we can bring to the table. We would like to target Junior High and High School aged youth, but don’t want to turn down any children for the program because we plan to offer so much. Do you think it is far fetched to have divisions of the program (i.e. Young Men’s Division, College Bound Division, Health Division, etc)?  Should we start small and watch for growth or just go for the gusto and utilize all of our individual skills, talents and networking abilities to serve the youth of Bloomington Normal fairly??”

Thanks for having lunch today with me, KellyFairTheMentor!  Happy National Mentoring Month 2014!  What better way to end the month, but by assisting individuals who are eager to grow their efforts in mentoring youth!

Here’s my response to a question from Kevin Brigance in Texas.  His question was ” How did you find time for your marketing and packaging of KellyFairTheMentor?”

Thanks for having lunch today with me, KellyFairTheMentor!  Happy National Mentoring Month 2014!  What better way to end the month, but by assisting individuals who are eager to grow their efforts in mentoring youth!

Here’s my response to a question from Latisha White in Chicago.  “Is there any preparation required before becoming a mentor?  Also, what traits (character/personality) would you say define a good mentor?”

Thanks for having lunch today with me, KellyFairTheMentor!  Happy National Mentoring Month 2014!  What better way to end the month, but by assisting individuals who are eager to grow their efforts in mentoring youth!

Here’s my response to a question from Kesha Chatman in Chicago.  Kesha’s question was “What are the best starter steps to take for creating a non-for-profit organization, to be located in the western suburbs of Chicago ? I am completely stepping out on faith with a God given vision, without financing”

Girls in our Polished Pebbles Mentoring Program here in Chicago (www.polishedpebbles.com) build relationships  over time during sessions held directly in their own schools or communities that help to positively affect their lives.  These relationships are with our staff, community volunteers, volunteers from our partnering businesses, and improved relationships with their school faculty and administration.

An example of just one of the many success stories of Polished Pebbles is Pertesha. After joining Polished Pebbles, Pertesha made many personal improvements that helped change her life from when she was in high school to where she is now.

A Polished Pebbles’ alumna, Pertesha sat down with me to discuss how being in Polished Pebbles and involved in programs such as the Bloomingdale’s Brown Bag Apprenticeship Program impacted her life.

I was so proud of her work and progress I felt like Mr. Miyagi watching over Danielson in the Karate Kid!  WATCH THE VIDEO BY CLICKING HERE:  Success Story Video.

In the spirit of National Mentoring Month, please share this positive story and let’s see it go viral!

I thank you for loving our girls, and your continued support!

Kelly

KellyFairTheMentor

A University of Michigan study indicates that youth violence escalates when too few men are present in neighborhoods.  I think we often associate the need for a male presence in mentoring for boys specifically.  But, our girls are growing up in the same communities, and just in need of positive male influences.  With our mentoring program in Chicago, Polished Pebbles, we hold Men’s Month every year to provide opportunities for our girls to interact with strong men from our networks.  We hold open forums and a Daddy Daughter Dance in February.  If you know of any other community-minded men who are interested in helping the youth and would also like to participate, please feel free to contact ahahn@my.alder.edu with their information.   Click here to read the story: READ THE ARTICLE

Bystanders look on as demonstrators march from a memorial for Kimani “Kiki” Gray on Thursday, March 14, 2013 in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. The 16-year-old was shot to death on a Brooklyn street last Saturday night by plainclothes police officers who claim the youth pointed a .38-caliber revolver at them, while the family says Gray was unarmed. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John Minchillo, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monique W. Morris, Ed.D.

Welcome to 2014!  It’s January which means it’s National Mentoring Month!  This month, I’ll be sharing ideas, tips, and stories to promote awareness of mentoring and enticing more adults to get involved in mentoring relationships and programs with young people.  

I’m sharing a story that was originally published in BlackNews.com by Monique Morris, Ed.D., author and co-founder of the National Black Women’s Justice Institute.  The article highlights research demonstrating that African American girls continue to be disproportionately over-represented among girls in confinement and court-ordered residential placements. The article also reports they are also significantly over-represented among girls who experience exclusionary discipline, such as out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, and other punishment.  CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY!

My purpose in sharing this piece is to inform, provide food for thought, and to serve as a call to action by illustrating, that based on our experiences and this research, how desperately our girls are in need of mentoring and advocacy to support their self-improvement as individuals, but also to ensure that they receive the proper support and education from the institutions in which they are educated. 

Please share your thoughts below! And, spread the word about the importance of mentoring throughout the month of January!

Kelly

KellyFairTheMentor

kellyfairthementor@gmail.com