One match, a second grade girl and her mentor, made reading and homework a top priority in their past mentoring meetings. The mentee’s school participated in the Great America Reading Program where students log the number of books and hours they have spent reading to try and win tickets to Great America. Together this match completed 6 hours and 11 books for the program.  Additionally, each week they worked together to complete all homework assignments for school.  Their dedication and hard work in both of these areas paid off when the mentee was nominated “Student of the Month” in March!
 
One mentor got active with her mentee and went to the American River bike trail where they covered a distance of six miles! Even though they have been meeting for six months, they used that time to talk and get to know each other even more. They discovered that they have a lot in common and enjoy doing a lot of the same things. The mentor discovered she didn’t always have to spend money to have a fun, meaningful meeting.
 
One mentee confided to his mentor that he was having a difficult time coping with the stresses that he faced at school and at home. He was struggling with acting out physically to deal with his anger. After a particularly hard day at school where he experienced some bullying from other students, the mentee called his mentor to see if they could get together. The mentor took his mentee to the batting cages, where they spent some time hitting balls to work out his aggression in a healthy way. Afterward, the mentee said it felt great to learn new ways to handle frustration and anger in a positive way.
 
One mentee’s demeanor has changed ever since being matching with a mentor.  Before being matched with his mentor, over a year ago, he was not the "people person type." He kept to himself and didn't interact with many of his peers at school. Being matched with a mentor has helped him to open up and become more adventurous. This year the mentee joined the choir, drama team and dance team at school.  For the first time in his life, he earned a citizen award at school as well.
 
During a recent meeting, a mentee told his mentor about the day he found a twenty dollar bill on the ground. The mentee said he picked up the money and attempted to find the owner. When nobody claimed the money, the mentee took the money home and put it in the collection plate at church the following Sunday.  The mentor also noticed that whenever they went out to dinner, his mentee always made a point to save some of his food to take to his mother when he went home. By paying attention and looking for the positive behaviors in his mentee, the mentor was more intentional to compliment his mentee on his selflessness and give him a big boost in his self-esteem.
 
During one of their mentoring meetings, a mentor learned his mentee was having a difficult time understanding math. Because the mentor was a carpenter, he made one-foot-by-one-foot tiles and used them to help his mentee figure out how many tiles it would take to fill the room. They also created math flash cards to use in their meetings.  After nearly six weeks of practicing math in this ways, the mentee earned a 100% on a math test for the first time in his life.

“I like my mentor because he’s there for me.” —Mentee Corey

“It’s great to know that the student I referred to Roots and Horizons really enjoys spending time with her mentor. Every time I see her, she is so excited and animated when sharing with me the things they do together.”  —Laurie, School Counselo

"I have been involved in several previous mentoring programs and this one provides the most support out of any of them." —Mentor Mark

“I am thankful for all the opportunities that Roots and Horizons has provided for my family. This   program has been such a benefit for my kids.”  —Booth Family 

"The program truly understands and cares about the well-being of these kids. They do a tremendous job at organizing program outings for these kids to experience and learn things they might not otherwise." —Mentor Diane

“The Roots and Horizons program is very well organized and the support from the staff is amazing.  I know in the beginning I was calling them when I was unsure about a situation, and with their guidance, I have been able to solve any challenges that have arisen.”  —Mentor Mike