The Chamber Franklin Initiative is looking for caring adults to serve as ACADEMIC AND CAREER MENTORS FOR 9TH GRADE STUDENTS enrolled in the Bloomington Early College Program at Bloomington High School North.

What Mentors Do: Mentors will meet monthly (November-March) over lunch with students to converse about academic and career goals. As a mentor, you will serve as a caring, nonjudgmental adult who . . .

• is not a family member or a teacher
• listens and shows interest in students' success in school
• explores with them their interests and abilities
• points them to a career and the continuing education that will lead them to realize their goals

During each session, mentors will check in with students about their academic progress and will informally share their academic history and career development. Mentors will be provided with conversation starters around each month's topic such as "Time Management," "Working with a Group," or "Handling Conflict" and will mutually discuss these skills as they pertain to school and the mentor's workplace.

Commitment: Mentoring sessions occur at Bloomington High School North beginning at 11:00 a.m. Sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes, but mentors and students may meet for up to two hours (until 1:00 p.m.). Volunteers must commit to attending all 6 mentoring sessions during either of two time blocks. In addition, all volunteers must be able to attend an orientation session in October at Bloomington High School North. This orientation will provide you with all the training you need to be a successful mentor.

Please note that a confidential criminal background check will be performed on all volunteers, conducted by MCCSC.

About Early College High School: Early College students are first-generation college-going, low income, or minority students who have a desire to go to college and may be eligible for Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program. They are challenged with rigorous courses with additional support and will take some college classes while completing their high school requirements. In addition to meeting with their mentors, they will participate in special tutoring and study groups and will regularly attend activities at Ivy Tech and IU.

Deadline for Volunteering: We need to begin matching up mentors with students, so please respond before October 16 to be included.

TO VOLUNTEER OR TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION please e-mail Matt Wysocki (Director of Workforce Initiatives with the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce) at mwysocki@ChamberBloomington.org. He will respond to you quickly with more information and next steps.

Revised: October 13, 2009

Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs
Bryan Hall 115, Bloomington, IN 47405-7000, USA
(812) 856-5700

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