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STAND BY ME BLOG
It is amazing what happens when you combine about 100 mentors and mentees, the creativity of an amazing staff, lead by Prestwood School Mentor Center Facilitator Laurel Mohring and Program Director Tina Baldry and the enthusiasm of the community toward Mentoring. We were awarded the 1st place prize in the Youth Division for our "Happy Birthday Sonoma Plaza" float this year! BRAVO to everyone involved.
Each year we are thrilled to see so many happy faces and enthusiastic Mentors whop come out to the join the Parade with their Mentees, or family members. We are reminded of the importance of being a part of something larger than ourselves. Together westronger and whole lot more fun that we could ever be individually!
Each year we are thrilled to see so many happy faces and enthusiastic Mentors whop come out to the join the Parade with their Mentees, or family members. We are reminded of the importance of being a part of something larger than ourselves. Together westronger and whole lot more fun that we could ever be individually!
CALLING ALL MENTORS AND MENTEES!!
This is our favorite event of the year. A great way to connect over the summer months and to celebrate the wonderfully folksy, wacky, warm and fuzzy town we live in. This year the parade is a celebration of 175th BIRTHDAY OF SONOMA PLAZA!
We will make special "Happy Birthday Sonoma Plaza" Signs - make a special one of your own with your mentee! When you participate in local events with your mentees, you set a wonderful example of community involvement. Plus it is a blast! The Sonoma 4th of July Parade has been featured in magazines and newspaper articles as one of the best in the Bay Area. Take part!
We will meet at 8:30 am on 1st Street East to decorate our float and hand out our brand new t-shirts! The parade begins at 10 am. It is a lot of fun to be on board the float and wave to all the folks watching the parade.
See you on Sunday! Here's some more info on the parade!
We were still wearing our winter boots just last week and now, suddenly, we are are rushing off to get graduation cards and finalize summer plans. For Mentors, summer is always unique. Some Mentors
still visit weekly - just outside of the Mentor Centers. Many others meet periodically throughout the summer and often try new activities and new kinds of experiences. How wonderful to take a walk or hike on a warm summer afternoon, or meet up for an icecream cone. How about reading a book together in your own Mentor-Mentee Bookclub. A movie is always a great idea and so is our local Farmer's Market. If you have a fun idea for a Summer outing, send it to me: laura@sonomamentoring.org and I will share it here. If summer is a busy traveling time for you, enjoy the break from your regular routine, and be sure to take time to call your mentee, or send a fun postcard!
still visit weekly - just outside of the Mentor Centers. Many others meet periodically throughout the summer and often try new activities and new kinds of experiences. How wonderful to take a walk or hike on a warm summer afternoon, or meet up for an icecream cone. How about reading a book together in your own Mentor-Mentee Bookclub. A movie is always a great idea and so is our local Farmer's Market. If you have a fun idea for a Summer outing, send it to me: laura@sonomamentoring.org and I will share it here. If summer is a busy traveling time for you, enjoy the break from your regular routine, and be sure to take time to call your mentee, or send a fun postcard!
You are the EVERY DAY HEROES of our community!
More than 80 Sonoma Valley residents have signed up to Mentor this year. They come from all walks of life, all ages, all cultures, and all backgrounds. They share one important trait - they want to make a difference in the life of a local child. Mentoring is not a short term, or light-weight commitment. As our executive Director kathy Witkowicki likes to say - 'it's not puppy petting!"
When you commit to Mentoring, you are committing to meeting each week, for at least one hour, with a local student. You are committing to a long term relationship, that will last from the day you are matched, until your mentee graduates from High School, and possibly beyond. Many Mentors and Mentees become friends for life! Sure it helps that we have an action-packed, fun and lively Mentor Center on each school campus. And sure, it also helps that we also have a professional Mentor Facilitator at each school site. We also sponsor a full schedule of activities, outings, classes and other extra-curricular activities for Mentors and Mentees. In other words, you never have to go it alone when you are a Mentor in the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance 'Stand By Me' Program. But, it is the deep personal commitment that mentors make which impresses me. I know of a Mentor who is planning to teach his Mentee to play golf this summer! I know of a Mentor who shares her love of art by teaching classes to all of our Mentors and Mentees on a regular basis. I know of a Mentor who just took her Mentee to visit the colleges she was accepted to, so that she could make the right choice for her college career!
Bravo to all of of our Mentors, and a special "high five" to the brand new 2010 Mentors!! We appreciate you!
This is the 4th field trip with our new ROADMAP TO YOUR FUTURE program, created by our Program Director Tina Baldry. We are taking a big group of mentors and mentees to Artisan Bakery's plant on 8th Street East. The goal of this program is to allow our Junior High and High Schooll Students to learn about the work place. They will hear the employees describe their jobs and also their educational pathway to work. TOna believes that when kids hear about the skills required inthe workl place, it give new meaning to the work they are doing in school. They see how it will apply in the real world! OK, we are also, no doubt, going to sample some yummy bread today too!
Do you need to great tips to help your kids be more organized and 'together' students. Ana has
the answers. She works with high schools kids on college prep and also on study skills - helping them to get, and stay, organized! Join us on February 18th - you will be glad you did!
the answers. She works with high schools kids on college prep and also on study skills - helping them to get, and stay, organized! Join us on February 18th - you will be glad you did!
