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Mentoring program for teens thrives despite pandemic
EDGE 21, a regional nonprofit that strives to put middle and high school students on track for success, recently announced strong metrics for the 2020-21 school year.
“We are thrilled to have mentored so many students despite the unexpected challenges,” Executive Director Beth Hamilton said. She has even higher expectations for the coming year, when 21st Century Scholars will number 339 in the four Putnam County high schools.
Hamilton reported that EDGE 21 reached 86 percent enrollment in Putnam County, up from 30 percent in 2018. There will be 116 incoming 21st Century Scholars this fall.
EDGE 21’s initiative begins with helping families enroll eligible students in Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program before the end of eighth grade. Free college tuition is the prize for families that meet income requirements and enroll their middle schoolers. Students who go on to meet certain requirements during high school, such as maintaining a grade average of C+ or better and staying away from drugs and crime, get a financial leg up.
For 21st Century Scholars in high school, EDGE 21 provides mentors to lead small weekly group meetings called huddles. Success coaches are trained to facilitate the huddles, which include curricula based on “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Franklin Covey.
New for the coming year is a grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to help coaches purchase supplies for the huddles.
“Research shows that teaching success strategies to kids at this stage can dramatically change their life-long outcomes,” EDGE 21 co-founder Lin Hunter said.
“It’s a great feeling to see teens start to take ownership of their lives,” adds Ian Wallace, a success coach at Cloverdale High School.
Hamilton said the program was able to make a successful transition into virtual huddles and continue coaching students. As such, huddles met in person when possible and virtually as needed. She reported that EDGE 21 had 27 huddles before the COVID-19 pandemic, and that 21 were kept running after going virtual in March.
The organization’s goal is to expand that number of success coaches from 21 to 60, since there are not currently enough mentors to serve all enrolled 21st Century Scholars.
“It’s great to experience the growth of the students as they interact and learn leadership skills that will carry them through high school, college or trade school and potentially their careers,” said success coach Jason Fajt, who works with students at Greencastle High School.
“I saw students grow week by week,” said Tim Tillitson, a retired Marine who mentors two groups of five students at North Putnam High School. “Not only did their grades rise, they also got better at setting priorities, solving problems and managing time. Naturally, their self-confidence blossomed too.”
“On Day One they normally sit back, but it only takes a few weeks and they start to take the initiative and lead,” added Wallace.
For more information about volunteering to be a mentor or contributing to EDGE 21, visit www.Edge21.org or contact Hamilton at beth@edge21.org directly.
For more information about Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program, visit learnmoreindiana.org.
For more about “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens,” visit www.franklincovey.com/Solutions/education/7habits-teen/.