Mentor Program

Do You Have An Hour A Week to Share? That"s all it takes! You volunteer to spend an hour a week with your mentee, or more if you prefer, in a school or community-based setting. You choose a time that"s convenient for you.

To keep students in schoolIncrease self-esteem                                        

Improve attitude toward school

Improve attendance

     Improve academic performance

The Donegal  Mentor Program pairs adults, as mentors, with public school students who can benefit from a close association with a caring friend who will help them strive for excellence in their lives.

How are students selected for this program? No student is assigned to the program. They must first agree to be in the program and then permission must be received from the parents. Teachers, school administrators and parents recommend students to be in the program.

Who can be a Mentor? Any person dedicated enough to spend the time it takes to make a positive difference in the life of a child is eligible. The program requires each mentor attend a 2 hour training session, have a police background check performed, and have the desire and commitment to work with their student.

What is the Mentor"s commitment? Mentors make a one year commitment, though many of the mentors remain with their students for far longer than that. Some of our original mentors are still with the same student even after 5 years. We ask that each mentor spend at least 3 hours a month with their student at school.

The Donegal School District Mentor Program is not a tutorial program. The program is designed to pair caring adults with students on a one-to-one basis to act as friends, listeners, role models, advocates, etc. Though many of the mentors may soon begin helping their student with class work and homework that is not the initial priority of the program.