A Special "Thank You" to all of our Amazing Mentors!
The following is a partial list of our Amazing Mentors, an ever-growing network of professionals who are sharing their time and expertise with some of our kids:
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Aaron Riddle, cartoonist, “Alford the Turtle”
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Alison Pohn, writer
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Brien Blakely, broadcast journalist, tv host/personality
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Dan Kuenster, Zoom Cartoons
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Dave Ross, children’s book author/illustrator
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Elgin Bolling, caricature artist, cartoonist
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Geoff Holle, web designer
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Guy Gilchrist, cartoonist
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Frank Gladstone, Director of Creative Talent, DreamWorks Animation
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Karin Gaffney, writer
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Larry Luria, animator (formerly of Disney’s Toon Institute)
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Scott Neely, artist/illustrator (Scooby Doo, Pokemon books)
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Suzy Canter, artist/illustrator
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Amazing Mentors! Program Goals
The goal of the Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! Program is to connect every child with a dedicated and caring mentor who will help guide them in their learning experiences. The program contains two parts:
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The Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! section of the Amazing Kids! website act as a "mentoring hub," providing resources and connections for mentors and prospective mentors who are interested in mentoring children.
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Our Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! outreach program will work closely with schools, businesses and the community to coordinate and implement a mentoring program within each community, through our Amazing Kids! Centers.
By becoming involved in the Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! project, students will receive invaluable guidance, education and hands-on experience with the help of a mentor's assistance. Mentors will include not only older "amazing kids," but "admirable adults" as well – such as teachers, parents, community and business leaders – representing a range positive role models for other children.
Students and mentors alike can access the website for information, assistance, communication and collaboration purposes with others involved in the Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! network.
Benefits of Mentoring - What Students Will Learn:
The mentoring project will benefit everyone involved. It will
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help children learn new skills from dedicated mentors
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give the mentors a sense of accomplishment, knowing they've helped contribute to a child's future
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Not only will students learn new skills, they will learn firsthand the importance of collaboration and "team spirit." The encouragement they will receive from a supportive mentor will help enhance students' belief in their own abilities.
Successful Mentoring Programs
The Daniel Webster Project at Cal State University, Fullerton, in Southern California, utilizes the expertise and guidance of the CSUF Debate Team coaches and team members to work with students in the Santa Ana Unified School District in Orange County, California. The participating schools in the Santa Ana district have been identified as having a student population with a high drop-out risk.
By acting as mentors to the students, the CSUF Debate team coaches and members help to guide and teach the high-risk students vital skills in the art of debate and discourse. The results of this successful program indicate that students are engaged and excited about their learning, and are more committed to staying in school.
In Their Own Words: Mentors Speak From the Heart about Their Mentoring Experiences
Mentor David Kobrin shares his heartwarming memoirs of his experiences with inner city youth in Los Angeles. A 13 part series.
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College student Megan Butacan, from Los Angeles, California, relates the benefits of her work as a mentor for God's Army, an organization dedicated to helping needy members of the community through passing out food and clothing. Click here to read Megan's inspiring story!
Older Students Mentoring Younger Students
There are many examples of successful student-to-student, as well as adult-to-student mentoring programs today. Mentoring can take place between college and high school students, high school and middle school students, middle to elementary school students, or upper elementary to lower elementary school students. Students of the same age and peer group can also mentor each other.
If you are involved in a successful mentoring program, we'd love to hear about your own personal experiences as either a mentor or a mentee! Please email you story to: info@amazing-kids.org.
Find a Mentoring Program in Your Community
The National Mentoring Partnership (http://www.mentoring.org/) has an extensive searchable online database of local and regional mentoring programs, which also include information caring adult programs, Volunteer Centers, and Local Mentoring Partnerships in communities throughout the United States at: http://www.mentoring.org/~nmp/stc/f_stcmap.html
Get Involved! Numbers to Call:
1-877- BE A MENTOR - Punch in your zip code to find a mentoring opportunity nearest you!
The National Mentoring Partnership: http://www.mentoring.org/
Phone: 202-729-4340
The Mentor Resource Center: http://www.calmentor.ca.gov/
Phone: 800-444-3066
Los Angeles Area Mentoring Organizations:
Communities In Schools/ The Los Angeles Mentoring Partnership
Phone: (213) 627-0311
Family Helpline: (213) 473-3706 or (323) 249-8876
Los Angeles Team Mentoring, Inc.
Phone: 213-489-5667 TeamWorkLA@aol.com
Or email Amazing Kids! at: info@amazing-kids.org. Please use the subject: "Amazing Mentors!"
Call for Mentors
Amazing Kids! is actively seeking schools and community organizations to work with us as Amazing Mentor-Partners! We will work closely with these mentoring partners to coordinate and implement the Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! program within their schools and communities. By joining our efforts, we can accomplish some amazing results right in our own communities!
*Amazing Kids! is looking for both student and adult mentors of all ages to join our Amazing Kids! - Amazing Mentors! network.
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*If you are interested, please email us at: info@amazing-kids.org.
Thank you for your support of the Amazing Mentors! program.
Amazing Kids! Educational Programs
