A helping hand: a mentoring program between staff and students

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a mentoring program in increasing academic success, improving self-esteem and decreasing disciplinary infractions. Data collection and initial interviews conducted with the mentors indicated the program was successful in improving the self-esteem, social skills and academic performance of most at-risk students. However, these evaluations need to be further developed and expanded in order to make a more conclusive judgment on the program\u27s effectiveness, due to several factors. Results were determined by using two methods of research. The first method used interviews from program participants. The second method was data collection. Student grade point averages and discipline referrals were compared for this and the previous school year. Findings were reported to the teachers, staff members, and administration. It was concluded that the mentor program was effective for most students. It was difficult to determine if the improvement shown was directly correlated to mentor support or if other outside variables were key factors to student achievement