Northport Public School (NPS) is seeking adult mentors for students in grades 6-12 to assist in a new program that aims to foster meaningful relationships between students and adults.
The district’s “secondary mentoring program” gives people the opportunity to essentially connect with a young person and make a difference in their life. The program is different from academic tutoring or counseling though. Instead, mentors will meet with their mentees once a week for about 15 minutes during the school day and throughout the academic year. Northport staff hope to have mentors begin by mid January 2025.
“The goal/mission is to ensure that every child has as many trusted adults in their lives as possible and to create a partnership between the Northport community and the school,” said Erin Scholten, Northport K-12 school counselor. “We hope that both students and mentors make connections beyond the classroom based on common interests. There is great power in having face to face conversations and multigenerational relationships. It is very important for humans to have the space to give and receive undivided attention to and from others. If the program is successful, it will hopefully create a larger network of connections for NPS graduates as they move into the next chapters of their lives.”
