Communities That Care

Posted on August 5, 2008

Math and Literacy Mentors Receives $5000 from MCF

The Maine Community Foundation has awarded $5000 from its Knox County Fund to Five Town Communities That Care for the 2008-2009 Math and Literacy Mentors Program. 

The program matches local middle school students with caring adult mentors who provide tutoring and support in either mathematics or literacy in one-hour sessions for two days per week. There is no cost to participants or their families for this program. 

The Math and Literacy Mentors program is based on research showing that adults who work with students to help them gain specific skills—and who recognize those students for their mastery of those skills—can positively influence student attitudes towards school.

Many times students can rebound quickly from an academic setback with timely and caring intervention. Students who struggle and do not receive adequate remediation often fall farther and farther behind—losing self-confidence and self-esteem in the process. Such students are at greater risk for developing problems with substance abuse, suicide, violence, delinquency, school drop-out, and teen pregnancy. 

In addition to reducing risk of problem behaviors and increasing academic performance of students, the benefits for the adults involved with this program are significant. For many mentors, this program provided their first experience working closely with adolescents who are not members of their own family. The Math and Literacy Mentors report their experience as very rewarding, and most come back to the program again.

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