Rocket Buddies Mentoring

Recently, I wrote a blog posting about a youth organization that I helped create called Youth Action Force.  One of my projects that branched off of that organization was one-to-one mentoring program called "Rocket Buddies".  The reason for the name was the school district mascot was the Rockets, so we didn't have to get to creative to come up with a name.  Now one general question that comes to mind when introducing this program is, "Why do I get help develop and start another program when the last one or the district hasn't paid me for my work?"  I guess there are two answers that question. The first being that I was too neive to realize understand the politics or what was going on.  The second answer to this question is that I was that dedicated to helping struggling youth.  Youth Action Force had a focus on high school students and getting involved in the community.  Rocket Buddies Mentoring Program had its focus turn to the elementary students and that was something that interested me.  With my involved in YAF, I went to a lot of community meetings.  I was considered the official "youth" representative at community meetings.  The beautiful thing about Rocket Buddies Mentoring is that the mentors were the high school students.  Many of the high school students were already involved with Youth Action Force, but that was okay.  You see, in a small community, people and students often times wear many "hats".  In the case of this mentoring program, it worked out well because we had captains of varsity sports coming to the elementary school once a week after school to hang out with an elementary school student.  It was great.  In just two weeks after the launch of the program, we had 21 matches of elementary students with high school mentors.  It was awesome.  It went very well and it helped those students self-esteem by interacting with those high school role models.  You could see it in the students' faces.  The program continued on for the remainder of the school year and we had good things cooking.  This program eventually fizzled along with Youth Action Force due to the funding element.  The district and the community loved what was happening, and again it was a lot of work, and I did it to help students who may not have had a positive role model in their life.  It also was just as much a benefit to the high school students because not only was it good to have on a college resume, but it was a perfect reminder to them that they were role models and their younger classmates were looking up to them.  I didn't again end up getting paid for this program again, but I was proud of my work and it boosted my pride.  I respect people who give youth a positive opportunity.  Especially today, youth have a lot on their plate growing up.  I know I did and I didn't have to deal with the stresses of social media and cyberbullying when I grew up.  I have these programs on my resume with others that I will share later, and I hope to maybe use these skills again in the future.