Reach Out Mentoring Program
Bridging Relationships through mentoring and strengthening communities along the way.
Children need positive relationships with caring adults. At-risk youth, especially those who lack positive adult role models, are more vulnerable to substance abuse, are more likely to join gangs or otherwise become involved with the criminal justice system, have higher incidences of truancy, and are more likely to drop out of school. Surrounded only by their equally confused peers, too many make poor decisions with harmful consequences. Societal and familial factors including absentee parents due to incarceration or death, placement in foster care, poverty and joblessness, and domestic violence, of adult role models place thousands of young people at risk.
Results
“ROMP offers more support and assistance than other programs; success based on good support and assistance” quote by Reach Out Mentor.
Reach Out Mentoring Program has been able to provide mentoring to more than 100 youth over a three year period of time. As times change we change to address the most critical issues of the day. No matter the issue, we are there with our intervention and prevention strategies to combat high school dropout rates, gangs, drugs, pregnancy, as well as to foster career development to address unemployment.
Anna Garcia mentored five girls since she entered the program and her best mentoring experience was mentoring three sisters. She met them for the first time at Upland Middle School and they seemed innocent and timid, and at the same time, a little scared. They had just arrived from Mexico and were very under weight for their ages. They didn’t speak any English, but she began to speak Spanish to them and they immediately looked at each with a very cute smile on their face: she had broken the ice. She was able to build a great relationship with them right away. They were always polite and appreciative every time she would pick them up and take them on outings. Although, each one had their own personality, they were inseparable. They became like a part of her family and she enjoyed the years spent with them. They all went on to graduate high school and she plans to keep in touch with them from time to time to see how they are doing. She had so many great memories with the three sisters and says it was one of the greatest experiences of her life.
