Educational Advocacy
The key to mentoring is the generation of trust between the student and their mentor (Sipe 2002). Mentoring programs have traditionally been practiced to improve academic achievement including improving grades, attendance, and increasing college going rates. Having a mentor increases college going-rates nearly 10% over those who do not (Cave and Quint 1990). Overall, youth participating in mentoring relationships experience positive academic returns. Studies show that youth participating in mentoring programs had fewer unexcused absences from school than did similar youth not participating in these programs. Moreover, an evaluation of Career Beginnings, an academically oriented program, found that participants were somewhat more likely to attend college than non-participant youth. The aforementioned information has lead foundation44 to create an educational advocacy program with goals in line with the mission of the organization. Our educational advocates will focus on helping students reach higher levels of success in school and in life. Participants will be rewarded with much more than a certificate of completion. They will have gained college admission.
