July Newsletter

Our July Newsletter is now available.  Highlights include:

News : August Mentor Trainings

June Highlights: Community Lodgings Bike Rodeo
Upcoming Events : Free Outdoor Movies

Check out the whole newsletter.

Become a SOHO Mentor!

Interested in making a difference and having fun at the same time?  Become a mentor with Space Of Her Own!  Learn more by attending an informational session this summer.  We will be holding three session, in each of the SOHO areas: Alexandria Old Town, Alexandria West End, and Arlington.  RSVP Here.

June Newsletter

 

 

 

 

 

Our June Newsletter is now available.  Highlights include:

News : MentorPrize Partnership

May Highlights: RARE End of Year Celebration
Upcoming Events : Clean the Bay Day

Check out the whole newsletter here.

RARE Celebration

As the school year winds down, celebrations are being thrown for all aspects of students' lives.  This past Thursday, the efforts and accomplishments of middle schoolers in RARE were put on display at the end-of-the-year event.  RARE is one of the youth programs put on by the Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria. The celebration took place at Francis C. Hammond Middle school, where middle schoolers met after school throughout the year to work on math and gain technology skills. 

 

The ceremony featured a number of speakers, from board members to the mayor to students themselves.  RARE students presented on subjects they had learned, such as bullying and financial literacy. 

 

At the end of the night, CCNA Executive Director Gwendolyn H. Lewis presented a Life Time Service Award to Bill Corbett, who has been the RARE contact for the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership.  On behalf of AMP, we congratulate Bill and thank him for all that he has done for the youth of Alexandria!

 

While the RARE year is wrapping up, CCNA volunteers are already getting ready for next year's program.  Any Hammond middle schoolers interested in joining RARE can fill out the application. 

A Rainy but Successful Lemonaide Day

It was a chilly May morning, but that didn't stop dozens of kids from setting up tables for Kids Helping Kids: Lemonaide Day on Saturday, May 13. Proceeds from the lemonade went to 6 different Alexandria non-profits, including two AMP programs: Space Of Her Own and Wright to Read.

On King Street, SOHO had its own stand set up, manned by SOHO Club mentees and mentors.  SOHO Club is made up of graduates of the SOHO 5th grade program, and creates events where girls continue to meet with their mentors and fellow SOHO girls.  These girls volunteered their Saturday in order to raise money for future SOHO girls' room makeovers, and to thank those who donated in the past and contributed to their own events and projects.  As the morning turned to afternoon, the sun came out and the day warmed up, bringing a bright end to a great day of kids going the extra mile.

Check out the SOHO Stand, and see more photos of stands from Lemonaide Day on the Kids Helping Kids Facebook.

AMP is Hiring!

Interested in getting into the non-profit or local government sector? Have a passion for youth mentoring and program capacity building? Want to work within sight of Washington, DC?

Become an Americorps VISTA with the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership!

Duties include expanding the overall capacity of AMP and its partner programs through mentor recruitment, training, and matching, as well as developing a system of ongoing communications. The second year VISTA will be focused on creating and enhancing mentor trainings to better support quality mentoring relationships.

Requirements include a minimum age of 18 and some college education.

Skills include youth development, education, teamwork, recruitment, community organization, communications, writing/editing, public speaking, computers/technology, and event planning.

Program Benefits include healthcare benefits, childcare assistance (if eligible), relocation allowance, and choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend.

The AMP VISTA will work in cooperation with the Virginia Mentoring Partnership and Alexandria Court Service Unit. This is a full time, one-year position based in Old Town Alexandria. The VISTA Program Coordinator will serve from Mid-August, 2017 to Mid-August, 2018.

Learn more about the position by reading the Americorps VISTA Job Listing.  

May Newsletter

Our May Newsletter is now available.  Highlights include:

News : SOHO Photography Exhibit
Upcoming Events : Lemonaide Day
April Highlights : Mayor & County Recognition Day of Service

Check out the whole newsletter here.  

Marjorie from Wright to Read

From student Marwah:

Each week, Marjorie and I do reading worksheets, we read and we talk. Sometimes we talk about reading and sometimes we talk about stuff we just want to talk about. We read chapter books and also fiction and non-fiction. We’ve been reading together for almost a year.

Outside of the library, we’ve gone to the IHOP [for the holiday dinner]. We also went to the summer picnic. Also, we sometimes eat marshmallows after reading.

From working with my mentor, I’ve learned how to read fluently and how to understand what I’ve read. And I’ve learned a lot more sight words. Marjorie has helped me get my reading level really high, and she’s always nice.

From tutor/mentor Marjorie:

Marwah and I have been reading together at Beatley Library once a week for close to a year. Her improvement over that time has been amazing and inspiring to watch. She has
always had a wonderful attitude, but now I see her confidence growing as she tackles big words and complex sentences.

We typically spend our hour together reviewing flash cards, practicing writing, doing workbook exercises and reading books of Marwah’s choice. She is open to reading almost any book, but she especially likes ones with colorful pictures and ones with animals. Marwah also has a wonderful sense of humor and expressively gives voice to the characters in funny books, like Mo Willems’ “Elephant and Piggie” series. Her favorite sweet is a marshmallow so I sometimes remember to bring those along.


Through Wright to Read, I’ve been able to work with Marwah to improve our reading, but I’ve also gotten to know her whole family. It’s a great organization, providing plenty of support and help.

This article was previously featured in the Alexandria Gazette and the Wright to Read Blog. 

THANK YOU'S for a Successful Spring2Action

SOHO girls, watched over by Del Ray Program Director Angela,
work hard on their hand-written thank-you notes to Spring2Action donors.

On Wednesday, April 5th, the whole community (Alexandria and beyond!) mobilized to give a total of $1,592,459 to local non-profits, including many AMP programs.  Casa Chirilagua Mentors won the contest of most donations over Casa Kids Club and Casa Bible Study, while the entire organization received 4th place for most overall donors and 2nd place for most overall dollars!  The Alexandria Seaport Foundation received 7th for most overall dollars, while Space Of Her Own had a record-breaking fundraising year and finished 15th for most overall donors and 17th for most overall dollars. Casa Chirilagua, Community Lodgings, Space of Her Own, and Wright to Read all received matching grants from the Mason Hirst Foundation.  BRYCE Project and CCNA: RARE also participated in the event and received substantial donations.  On behalf of all AMP programs, we thank everyone who contributed!  

Thanks is the most important part, as 10 SOHO boys and girls learned this past week.  For an entire day each on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 girls from Space Of Her Own and 2 boys from Space Of His Own gathered together to create hundreds of hand-written thank-you's to everyone who donated to their program.  Each wrote about what the donations will be used for, how their mentor helps them, and what their favorite part of SOHO is.  While the task was daunting and left the participants with some cramped fingers from so much writing, each expressed at the end of the day how grateful they were to everyone who had donated to make SOHO possible, and how rewarding it was to be able to express those thanks personally.  

Spring2Action is a yearly day of giving sponsored by Act for Alexandria.  Learn more about this year's fundraising results, and continue to follow AMP to see what amazing future events and projects these contributions support.  

Casa Chirilagua Open House

"Mi Casa es Tu Casa" and "Home Sweet Home" was written all over, from t-shirts to posters to individual invitations.  "Welcome to your new home!" was shouted by Casa Chirilagua Executive Director, Dawnielle Miller.  The event title of Grand Opening was interchangeable with "Open House," emphasis on house.  But nothing displayed how "homey" the new community space on Mt. Vernon Ave was like the hundreds of Chirilagua neighborhood families who came out to celebrate Casa Chirilagua's new base.  

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Casa Chirilagua moved into their new center/program spaces/office at the beginning of March, and has been holding their weekly Kids Club and Bible Study meetings there since.  On Saturday, April 1st, a grand event was held to celebrate the new space.  Previously, Casa Chiri's offices and programs had taken place at different partner churches in the Northern Alexandria area.  Now, Casa Chirilagua has one home, in the very center of the neighborhood that they serve. 

The event began with speeches by Board Member Jim Vandehei, Mayor of Alexandria Allison Silberberg and Executive Director Dawnielle Miller.  The Mayor then assisted Casa Chiri students in the ribbon cutting ceremony.  The entire day was hosted by two Casa Chiri parents: a parent committee member and volunteer/mentor, who presented and translated everything for both the Spanish and English audience members.  

Video: Guatemalan Dance;
Top Picture: Honduran Dance:
Bottom Picture: Salvadoran Dance

The beat picked up when Casa Chirilagua kids presented dances from the three main countries represented by Chirilagua families: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Next attendees were given a tour of the new space, which has a central area and multiple rooms for programs.  Afterward everyone settled down for a community picnic, with Central American food such as atole (a milk and corn drink), nacatamales (banana leaf wrapped tamales), and baleadas (filled wheat tortillas) was served.  Families sat at tables while children bounded with energy, playing soccer, table games, and creating crafts.  With the afternoon at 65 degrees and the sun shining down, it felt like the first sign of summer community fun.

While Casa Chirilagua has been centered in the Chirilauga community for 10 years now, it has finally found its home among its neighbors and supporters.  We wish Casa Chirilagua a happy housewarming, and look forward to more community events to come! 

Follow Casa Chirilauga at www.facebook.com/CasaChiri/ to keep updated on programs and events. 

Corrine from Wright to Read

From Corrine

In late 2015, I began looking for volunteer opportunities as a way to give back to my community. I came across Wright to Read and was impressed with the organization’s mission and what they’ve accomplished. I know how important and enjoyable reading can be and I wanted to help a child experience this same joy and prepare them to succeed in life. Shortly after expressing an interest and going through the formalities, I was paired with Liam — a wonderful second (now third) grade student at Patrick Henry Elementary School.

When our sessions first began in January 2016, Liam wasn’t very interested in reading on Saturday mornings (let alone at all); however, I soon gained his trust and utilized some resources from Wright to Read to make the sessions as enjoyable as possible. As time progressed, Liam began to make improvements in the way of taking the time to sound out words, identifying words more quickly, and reading comprehension.

Liam began to take note of his own progress, which only made him want to get better. Noticing the positive change in his effort and attitude towards reading, I made sure to acknowledge his progress in various ways (e.g., verbal praise, stickers, and spot awards). Overall, Liam has become more interested in reading and is eager to get to the reading portion of our sessions, which gives me great joy.

Liam has been such a joy to work with and I have been so impressed and amazed with his progress. It’s safe to say that Liam now enjoys reading. He has improved by leaps and bounds, and even recently received a verbal shout out over the PA system at school for his progress in reading. Liam’s parents tell me about all the various opportunities he takes to improve his reading skills: reading to younger neighbors, reading to his parents, requesting to read the newspaper, among others. Every time I hear something like this, it puts a smile on my face and makes what I’m doing worthwhile. Liam was promoted to the third grade and I look forward to continuing our work together.

From Liam

Each week, Ms. Corrine and I practice sight words and read together at the library. We have been working together for over one year. The types of books we read include half human and half animal books. We also read monster and superhero books. Some special things I have enjoyed doing with Ms. Corrine include reading books and fun activities such as word games. I also enjoy when Ms. Corrine talks to my parents. Ms. Corrine has helped me learn how to spell her name, to enjoy reading, and I’ve learned more about animals. I think Ms. Corrine should be mentor of the month, because she has helped me with my reading and she has been with me every step of the way.

From Liam’s Mom

We have seen great progress in our son's reading level since he began being tutored by a wonderful, encouraging, and generous woman. We are so grateful to her and Wright to Read for all of their assistance.

This article was previously featured in the Alexandria Gazette and the Wright to Read Blog. 

Career Connection

Everyone was in business dress, the tables were each set up with name plates, and continuous noise from dozens of conversations filled the air.  From the outside, it appeared to be a typical career fair, where interested job-seekers took turns speaking to local professionals.  But last month's Career Connection event, hosted by the BRYCE Project, was anything but typical.  

A BRYCE Project student talks
with a female professional about
career and education options.

The "job-seekers" were not potential applicants after all, but high school students from TC Williams looking to jump-start their career by learning about their education and job options before even applying to college.  And every one of the attendees---students, professionals, volunteers, and guest speaker---were all female.  The goal of the event, aligned with the goal of the host program, was to showcase successful women and give high school girls the opportunity to understand their school and career choices from people of their own gender.  In addition to specific job information, professionals answered questions about job skills and work-life balance.  

Keynote speaker Kristin Wright

The keynote speaker was local News4 Washington reporter, Kristin Wright. She has received an Emmy nomination for Best Feature and been honored by the National Association of Black Journalists, the Associated Press, and the American Literacy Corporation for her volunteer work. 

After a day of learning and intense discussion, attendees were able to relax and enjoy some food and treats together, toasting to a successful day of female empowerment and personal development. 

April Newsletter

Our April Newsletter is now available.  Highlights include:

News : Spring2Action
March Highlights : BRYCE Project: Career Connection Event
Upcoming Events : Casa Chirilagua Open House

Check out the whole newsletter here.  

Virginia Mentoring Awards

Mayor of Richmond, Levar M. Stoney, giving the main address
at the Virginia Mentoring Awards luncheon.

AMP had the honor of attending the Virginia Mentoring Awards at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond last Thursday, hosted by the Virginia Mentoring Partnership.

The day began with executive director of VMP, Elizabeth Bass, welcoming and thanking everyone for all that they do.  She then introduced the main speaker, Levar M. Stoney, who is the current mayor of Richmond and youngest mayor ever elected in the city.  Mayor Stoney spoke about how growing up with strong adult role models got him to where he is today, and how important it is for youth to have mentors to guide them away from poor choices and towards their full potential.

After a luncheon, awards were given out to two best mentors and two best mentoring programs.  Visit the VMP website to learn more about the winners.

Following the awards, VMP Director of Program Services Rose Marie Wiegandt updated everyone on the 2016 survey and assessment put out by VMP and MENTOR.  Next, there was a conference on data collection and match quality assessment featuring John Harris of Applied Research Consulting (ARC).

Attendees ended the day with a renewed sense of pride and purpose in our work with youth.  AMP is honored to be a part of a state-wide network of dedicated mentors and mentoring programs.

Casa Chirilagua visits City Hall

Andres and his mentor at City Council

Alexandria is often called a big city with a small town feel, and nothing exemplifies that designation more than the relationship between the City Government and community members.  A few weeks ago, Andres* from Casa Chirilagua and his mentor put on their best suits and visited the City Council meeting in order to talk about mentoring.  After getting up to speak, Andres gave a gift to Mayor Allison Silberberg: a handmade purse from Guatemala.  

In thanks to Andres and Casa Chirilagua, Mayor Silberberg invited a group to visit her offices at City Hall.  Andres was accompanied by his mentor, his mother, two fellow Casa Chiri kids, and two Casa Chirilagua staff: Mentoring Director Adriana Schellhaas and Elementary Programs Director Marissa Salgador. 

Read more about Andres and his speech at the City Council meeting on the Casa Chirilagua Blog, and read up on the Casa Chirilagua visit to the Mayor's office in the Alexandria Gazette.  

*Name changed for privacy reasons. 

Casa Chirilagua staff and mentees, accompanied by Andres' family and mentor, meet with Mayor Silberberg after getting a tour around City Hall.

Leah of RARE

From Bill Corbett of RARE:

The Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria (CCNA) created the "Reach and Rise for Excellence" (RARE) after-school mentoring and tutoring program for Hammond Middle School students. The STEM focused program meets four days a week to help students with math, language arts, leadership and life skills which include introduction to entrepreneurship, computer coding, parent engagement and more. Leah Swanson is the RARE Mentor of the Month.

Leah is in her second year as a math tutor for RARE students, helping them do online math drills as a blended approach to improve their skills.

“Most of the math I do with the students is introductory algebra. We figure out integers, how number lines work, and positive and negative numbers. Some of the students are doing the math of triangles in geometry, too.

“I've been volunteering to work with kids since I was in high school. When I'm with RARE students, I enjoy talking with them about things they enjoy in life outside of math and outside of school. I think it's important that the kids have adults they can talk to who can relate to them who aren't authority figures, just people with some experience to offer.

“It's been interesting to see all the different ways students learn, and how they explain it all. Having them explain a problem, and how to solve it, has shown me there are a lot of ways to do math and think about it. Especially with kids for whom math is not a strong suit, when you talk to them and share enough that they can explain the problem back to you, it's very rewarding. It makes them very proud of themselves.”

One of Leah's students says, “Miss Leah is good at listening to whatever we want to talk about. And she asks us a lot of questions that make us think.”

This article was previously published in the Alexandria Gazette,  http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2017/jan/20/mentor-month-alexandria/

March Newsletter

Our March Newsletter is now available!  Highlights include:

• News : Nominees for Salute to Women Awards
• February Highlights : Community Lodgings Open House
• Upcoming Events : Virginia Mentoring Awards

Check out the whole newsletter here.  

National Mentoring Month Story Contest Winner

To celebrate National Mentoring Month, the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership sponsored a Story Contest, open to all Alexandria youth ages 5 to 18.  The winner receives a $25 gift card.  Contestants were given the choice to present their story in whatever medium they chose, such as an art piece.  

The winner is 13 year old Jaylan.  Read her story below!

My mentor has been working with me for four years. She has seen me evolve from age nine to 13. She is the first mentor I have had. I get excited when it's the day for our session. 

I used to hate reading. Now I really like it because it's become much easier for me due to working with my mentor. During my free time, I read much more often than I used to. Sometimes at school during home room when other kids go on their computers to play games, I like to read a book instead. 

My mentor compliments me when I tackle a new word by sounding it out, or make text connections with my own experience; that makes me happy. She brings me little gifts from other countries she travels to so I know she was thinking about me when she was away, which makes me feel good. 

I work hard during sessions, but we also laugh a lot. We have fun reward days where we go to museums or out for lunch or to the movies. My favorite place for lunch together is a local pizza place in her neighborhood. Sometimes we go to events at Wright to Read, which are tons of fun. 

My mentor and I have a lot of things in common. We both like crazy-nuts, a food we invented by mixing craisins and peanuts. We both like French art, such as paintings by Marie Laurencin, Claude Monet, and Paul Gaugin. We both have types of arthritis; we connect on how it feels to sometimes have pain. 

On the drive to and from the session, I talk with her about what's going on in my life. And between sessions, we text each other with news, such as when I got my long hair cut short. 

She's the mentor I want to stay with forever. I want to thank her a million times because I am so grateful. 

Spreading the Word at New Employee Orientation

Every month, the City of Alexandria holds a day long orientation for new employees.  Staring on February 15, the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership will now be present at the orientation during the hour-long lunch break, to talk to new employees and inform them of the many opportunities available in the city.  

For instance, city employees can use one hour of their forty hour work week to volunteer.  AMP has begun a campaign to make city employees more aware of this policy.  Volunteering within the city allows new employees a chance to get to know Alexandria better.  It is also a great way to be more involved in the community, and mentoring specifically gives the opportunity to learn about the city from a local youth.  

Tabling at New Employee Orientation also spreads the word about AMP.  We currently work with many city departments, but are always looking for new partnerships and ways to work with the city in order to better serve our programs, mentors, and mentees. 

National Mentoring Month 2017

From everyone at the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership - staff, programs, mentors, mentees, volunteers, community partners, and the City of Alexandria - we thank all those who participated in National Mentoring Month this year, and our first Alexandria Mentoring Month!

Stay up to date with AMP by subscribing to our mailing list.

Interested in becoming a mentor?  Book an informational phone call with us to figure out which of our 11 programs would be best for you!  

Community Lodgings Open House

"Community Lodgings’ mission is to lift families from homelessness and instability to independence and self-sufficiency through Transitional Housing, Affordable Housing and our Youth Education Programs."

When most people think of Community Lodgings, they think of the transitional and affordable housing programs that help the homeless and low-income families of Alexnadria get back on their feet and move towards a brighter future.  What many don't know is that Community Lodgings also provide youth education programs that prepare children for self-sufficiency as adults.  These programs include after school academic support, as well as mentoring.  

On Monday evenings in the neighborhood of Chirilagua, students from grades 7 through 12 meet in the two Community Lodgings offices (girls in one office, boys in another).  Last Monday, AMP stopped by the boys program, in the basement of a neighborhood apartment building, where many of the students live.  As the boys and mentors gathered, two students moved to tables on the edge of the room to finish tests and homework due the following day, before joining everyone else in the activities.  First, the boys and mentors took turns reading from A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.  Next, everyone joined in to work on a puzzle.  

Every week brings new activities, but the same faces to Community Lodgings.  As we went to meet the mentors, we recognized them and about half the mentors from the 2015 Community Lodgings video.  The boys have grown older, the mentors more experienced, but Community Lodgings remains a safe and fun place to spend a Monday evening! 

Elodie from Space Of Her Own

Rebecca and Elodie met through the SOHO program back in 2014. On the first day of the program, they were sitting together and immediately had a great connection. Rebecca is from El Salvador originally and is very interested in other cultures and Elodie is from France and loves to share her love for international travel. Rebecca quickly asked Elodie to talk to her about her country, cultural differences and what language people speak in France. Elodie also wanted to find out about Rebecca’s original country of El Salvador. A friendship quickly built from there.

Each Thursday evening, they met through the SOHO program and worked on art projects together, including painting, making pillows, ceramics, and other projects with the objective to create a space for Rebecca in her home. At the end of the program, Rebecca was sharing a room with her brother and made her “corner” her own space with crafts she had worked on all year long with Elodie along with some new fun things they bought together.

After two years of starting the program, Elodie and Rebecca have a close friendship and see each other on a regular basis to see movies, go to coffee, do some shopping or just talk about school, life, and everything in between. As Elodie says, “Rebecca has brought so much more to my life than I had ever imagined. We have a very strong bond that I plan to cherish for life”. Elodie was so happy when Rebecca told her that she had decided to take French in middle school and promised Rebecca to take her to Europe when she graduates from high school.

This article was previously published in the Alexandria Gazette,  http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2017/feb/10/mentor-week-cross-cultural-connection/

The Untouchables Open House

Like most evenings after school, Charles Houston Rec Center in northern Old Town was a bustling place last Thursday.  In classrooms, youth engaged in dance classes, sports, and advisory programs.  Elementary school girls chatted with visitors while waiting for their friends to arrive.  And male mentors and mentees gathered for their weekly The Untouchables meeting.  

The Untouchables is one of Alexandria's oldest mentoring programs.  Founded in 1988, it has for 29 years provided guidance and support for young African-American men in the Parker-Gray neighborhood.  Many of the mentors in The Untouchables today were once mentees in the program, and came back to help the youth in their community in the same ways older men had helped them.  When asked why they came every week, mentors and mentees alike shared the sentiment that The Untouchables helped teach them how to be good people and live their lives to the fullest.  

Guests came by to watch the program from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.  Mentors and mentees took turns taking the floor and working on their public speaking skills.  Following the program, guests, mentors, and mentees shared a meal together of salad, mac and cheese, cake, and homemade banana pudding.  

After dinner, The Untouchables received a visit from the Mayor of Alexandria, Allison Silberberg, who shared her thoughts on the importance of mentoring and how lucky the city is to have programs such as this one.  

Space Of His Own Open House

In the photo above, Kyle shows the Space Of His Own group how to finish a nail into wood, and prepare the project the boys are working on - a shodowbox - for painting.  

The sound of hammers ring out from the workshop classroom at George Washington Middle School.  Not an unusual noise, except for the fact that it's 6 p.m., long after school has ended.  But the shop teacher Kyle remains, acting as instructor and program leader of Space Of His Own.

Every Tuesday, 5th grade boys gather to meet with their mentor, learn life skills, have dinner, and engage in construction projects.  As a part of Alexandria Mentoring Month, AMP hosted an open house yesterday, where interested guests could stop by and see what Space Of His Own is all about.  

One visitor was matched with a young man whose mentor could not make it this week, and quickly stepped up to the task of holding the nearly completed shadowbox while the student finished hammering in the nails.  

Space Of His Own is open to observation any Tuesday - contact sarah.maroney@alexandriava.gov to plan your visit!  

Wright to Read Open House

Wright to Read held an event for Alexandria Mentoring Month last Thursday.  Those interested in mentoring came to the Wright to Read office in Old Town to eat snacks, talk to program staff, and hear from a current mentor.  Wright to Read was founded in 1979 by Frank and Betty Wright, and has been connecting caring volunteers with Alexandria students ever since.  Tutor/mentors meet with students once a week to work on literacy.  Wright to Read plans a weekend activity once a month for mentors and mentees to go on.  There are currently over 100 students being served by Wright to Read.  Some have been with their tutor/mentor for a decade!  

Wright to Read holds an orientation session once a month.  For those interested, start your application here. 

A message from Casa Chirilaga: Kids Club members

Peter Tomaselli of Wright to Read

FROM PETER:

As a public servant for the City of Alexandria, I have always taken great pride in providing exemplary customer service to the local citizens of this city. The city government has always had a strong belief in providing these high levels of customer service at all costs. They, also, have had a strong belief in finding ways to ensure that our youth of tomorrow succeed in life.

I would be fortunate enough to get my opportunity towards making a positive impact on the youth of tomorrow when I decided to attend an information session hosted by the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership. I learned about all the admirable programs that were in need of strong, positive mentors. Out all of those fascinating programs, I would end up being drawn towards the Wright to Read program. This program intrigued me the most primarily because I knew about the valuable importance of reading, especially, as it related to academic success and attaining further knowledge.

When I decided to become a mentor with the Wright to Read program, I really didn’t know what to expect. At first, I felt a tad anxious because I realized I would be responsible for a young individual’s success in meeting all desired reading goals. I, also, realized that I would have a strong hand in this young individual’s maturation process. So, the thought of all this became rather overwhelming to me. Fortunately, there was no reason for me to think or feel this way because I realized that I would not be alone in this mentoring process. Wright to Read willingly provided me all the tools needed to succeed in their program. Plus, I was fortunate enough to have a great supporting cast in my mentee’s family who were willing to accommodate me in any manner possible because they truly cared about the overall success of my mentee, Sean.

Sean has been such a pleasure to have as a mentee. I truly appreciate his strong effort and persistence in striving to improve in all facets of literacy. I am really not surprised that Sean has progressed in the manner that he has because he has, definitely, put in all the hard work during our sessions at the library and at home with his family. Sean is the main reason why I am even being considered for Wright to Read’s Mentor of the Month. This nomination consideration is a testament of the nearly two years of hard work that Sean and I have embarked together. I am very excited to see with what the future will hold for Sean.

FROM SEAN:

My mentor, Peter, and I read every week at Beatley Library. We met when I was a second grader and continued meeting during the summer when school was out. I like meeting with Peter to improve my reading. I have learned to improve my fluency in reading. I have also increased my reading speed and I don’t sound choppy anymore. We read mostly books that interests me. We have ready anywhere from poetry to fiction to non-fiction books.

We sometimes meet outside of our sessions on the weekends as well. We like going to the pool and having family dinners. The best day was when my mentor met me at the renaissance festival for my birthday.

Peter deserves to be the Mentor of the Month, because we have worked as a team to improve each week. He always pushes me to go to the next level. The Wright to Read program has helped me read over the level I am supposed to be. I truly consider my mentor a big brother. Thank you Wright to Read!

This article was previously published in the Alexandria Gazette, http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2017/jan/13/helping-shape-future-alexandria-mentor-month/

Casa Chirilagua Open House

Yesterday, we continued our celebration of Alexandria Mentoring Month with a mentor recruitment event at Casa Chirilagua.  Guests enjoyed coffee and dulces while listening to one Casa family talk about their experience with mentoring.  Mentoring Director Adriana and Local Leader Leydy asked Jose*, his mother Marta*, and his mentor Todd questions about mentoring.

Todd spoke about how mentoring was a lot more natural than he had anticipated, and doesn't require lots of planning or preparing before each session.  Jose's favorite moment with Todd was when they went to Cirque De Soleil Kurios for Jose's birthday.  Marta noted that since getting a mentor, J has been reading more, and she is very happy with having Todd as Jose's mentor.  This year, Todd is most looking forward to going ice skating, while Jose is excited about playing soccer together. The entire interview was conducted in English and Spanish, with participants either speaking in both or Adriana translating.  At the end, guests asked questions, and expressed their gratitude for the wonderful work that Casa Chirilagua and its staff, volunteers, and families are doing!

Read more about Todd and Jose in their Mentor of the Month article in the Alexandria Gazette: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2017/jan/27/mentor-month/

Our next open house is Thursday, January 19, at Wright to Read (414 N. Washington St.)

*Names changed for privacy

Alexandria Mentoring Month!!!

On January 10, January was declared Alexandria Mentoring Month at the monthly city council meeting.  Mayor Allison Silberberg announced the agenda item, noting that council members all wore blue in support of Alexandria's mentoring programs.  Councilman John T. Chapman read the proclamation declaring Alexandria Mentoring Month.  Representatives from The BRYCE Project, Community Lodgings, Space Of Her Own, The Untouchables, and Wright to Read were present to celebrate the proclamation.  

Watch the entire meeting here. 

RARE Open House

Nearly every day after classes end at Francis Hammond Middle School, 6th grade students meet with volunteers to practice math problems, work on grammar, learn code, and more.  This is RARE: a tutoring/group mentoring program sponsored by The Campagna Center.

Yesterday AMP continued its celebration of National Mentoring Month with its another Open House.  Community members interested in volunteering or just curious about youth programs were invited to drop in on RARE and talk to the volunteers, students, and staff involved.

Above: a volunteer helps a student with her language arts worksheet. Right: RARE students wrote down what they love about coming to RARE.

BRYCE Project Open House

Community Service and Youth Enrichment are two of the tenants of the BRYCE Project.  Started four year ago, BRYCE meets on Monday evenings, where high school girls and volunteers gather in a safe space to do service projects.  Members also meet for weekend events.  This past Saturday, BRYCE traveled to the Microsoft store in Pentagon City to take classes on coding and Microsoft Office.

In honor of National Mentoring Month, the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership joined with BRYCE to set up an "Open House" by tabling outside the Microsoft store, and inviting mall goers to go in and see what the mentoring program was up to.