The Model

Our ultimate goal is that every Achiever in the Friends-Boston program will graduate from high school and continue on to college. In the field of mentoring Friends-Boston is unique because we:

• Select the children who need us most

• Start early (we only select Achievers in kindergarten or the first grade)

• Stay with each Achiever for twelve years until high school graduation

To select Achievers for the Friends-Boston program we partner with Boston Public Schools in the Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, South Boston and Jamaica Plain neighborhoods of Boston. We spend eight weeks observing kindergarten and first grade classrooms, assessing potential Achievers, and comparing notes, records and surveys with teachers and social workers. Friends-Boston selects the children who most need us based on risk factors including high family mobility, aggressive or attention-seeking behaviors, poor attendance, poverty and family history of substance abuse.

Our core belief is that children will do well if they can and our job is to help them overcome the barriers that prevent them from succeeding. Throughout the school year Mentors help Achievers get to or stay at or above grade level in English/Language Arts and Math, attend school regularly and progress on time to the next grade. Through extracurricular activities and educational outings, Mentors support Achievers in developing the emotional skills and strategies that they will need in order to achieve and succeed in school and in life, overcoming all of the obstacles in their way.

Each Mentor creates an individualized plan for each Achiever and the Achiever's schedule is tailored to fit his or her interests and areas of need. Mentors join Achievers in their classrooms to assist with academic and behavioral challenges, take Achievers on educational outings to libraries and museums, and facilitate extracurricular activities such as community service projects, tutoring and art or karate classes. Friends-Boston is creating and expanding a network of community-based partners to support Achievers and their families in improving each Achiever's total environment.

In the 2009-2010 school year, Friends-Boston has launched an exciting Positive Peers Program where AmeriCorps members serve as volunteer Mentors. AmeriCorps members are Bachelor's in Social Work or Master's in Social Work students completing a practicum with Friends-Boston or college students interested in the fields of education, counseling or human services. AmeriCorps members spend an average of eight hours per week with each Achiever, supporting them with literacy and homework assignments and helping them develop crucial social emotional skills.