A first-of-its-kind partnership weaves community groups together to increase the number of mentoring relationships at three Sioux Falls elementary schools where student needs are the greatest.
A grant from the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, which serves as a fiscal sponsor for the program, will help pay for a full-time Mentoring Recruiter and Engagement Coordinator to work with students at Terry Redlin, Cleveland and Anne Sullivan elementary schools.
The coordinator will work with nearby businesses, churches, civic groups, and neighborhoods to invest in building relationships with students. Of the 1,000 mentors for elementary and middle school students in the Sioux Falls area, just 50 mentors serve in the three schools combined.
Superintendent Dr. Jamie Nold, a long-time mentor himself, states, “We are beyond excited to collaborate with these committed stakeholders to change the path of students who simply need another stable adult in their lives. Mentoring relationships are powerful for both the student and the adult and I can promise new recruits it will be one of the most rewarding opportunities they’ll ever experience.”
Studies show students with mentors earn better grades, attend school more regularly, graduate at higher rates, and live more productive lives.
“Students in these neighborhoods deserve the gift of mentorship,” said Mayor Paul Ten Haken, a long-time champion of mentoring programs. “This will positively alter the trajectory for so many of our city’s kids who just need a hand – an encouraging presence – to reach their potential.”
The two-year pilot program is an outgrowth of the Sioux 52 Mentoring Initiative, and unites the Sioux Falls School, City of Sioux Falls, LSS of South Dakota Mentoring Services, and Teammates Mentoring of Sioux Falls, with project coordination by the Helpline Center.
Chief Executive Officer Janet Kittams says, “The Helpline Center is honored to help direct this important effort to pair generous men and women with an opportunity to build relationships and support the children of our community.”
The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation will receive and manage charitable donations on behalf of the project through fiscal sponsorship.
“For many years, we have witnessed the powerful relationship between mentors and students,” said Andy Patterson, CEO of the Community Foundation. “We are proud to continue to support programs that benefit our young people in Sioux Falls.”
LSS and Teammates Mentoring, both long-time partners with the school district, will continue to play a key role in recruiting and training new mentors.
Dr. Nold, TenHaken and other community leaders spent the several months working with LSS, Teammates and the Helpline Center to develop the position to enhance, not duplicate, the work already being done with recruiting. If the pilot succeeds, more recruiters could be added at other schools in the future.
View photos from the press conference here.
Watch the full press conference here. --->