December 8th- 12th CLOTHING DRIVE

This semester the students did a community project. The students wanted to do a project that would help children in need. They had so many great ideas and decided to do a clothing drive. I gave them contact information to a few places and it was their job to contact the organizations and to ask what we could do to help. A Precious Child was excited to work with the YESS mentors, and the YESS mentors liked how A Precious Child helped children in their community.

The students made announcements and went to the homeroom classes to promote the drive, and to inform the students of the clothing types and sizes we needed.

After two weeks of  the clothing drive the YESS mentors collects 535 items. The students were so excited with the outcome that they are already brainstorming a community project we could do next semester.

Over the past couple of weeks the students of talked about the importance of mentoring and why it is needed in a community. We have talked about serious subjects such as micro-aggressions, racism, the importance of inclusiveness  and this week the students were put into groups and had to brainstorm an ideal community. 

when the students presented their ideal communities they had to explain where mentoring would be needed. An idea most students stated in their presentations was that in every profession, a person who had been working in their line of work for 5-10 years would have to mentor someone who was in their first year of working in that field.

I am very happy with the communities that the students built in their groups. They really see the value of mentoring and think it should be everywhere! :) 

December 1st- December 5th

This week we began the clothing drive. The mentors of the program are in charge of tallying the academic enrichment classes on who is wining. The students are in charge of promoting the drive to the students, as well as keeping in contact with A Precious Child on the progress we have made. We have one more week of the clothing drive left.

This week we discussed accountability and what it means. We used some of the curriculum but I do not want to do any of the big lessons without their mentees present.

My mentors are beginning to get nervous because next month they will receive their mentees. We did a few scenarios and discussed way of handling the situations. The students are great and they brought up lessons we did a few weeks ago, such as the 5 stages of listening.

We finished up the week with doing a Self-Portrait activity. Students are more open about their home life than they were when we did the life time line at the beginning of this course.  The self portraits came out amazing. I have some amazing students in my class who have a lot to offer their mentees.

November 17th- 21st

It is almost Thanksgiving break and the YESS mentors have had a busy week. This week the mentors went to a career fair. Only the 8th graders were allowed to go during 4th and 5th period. I was really glad the counselors and principals included me on the trip since most of my students now are 8th graders. I accompanied a few students on their "college visit" and helped them prepare questions to ask the admissions table. 

This week we began preparation for our clothing drive. The YESS mentors will be sponsoring a clothing drive for A Precious Child.  This week students made posters and announcing to classes that the drive will start after Thanksgiving break.

Today, Belen Hondermann from the DoubleTree hotel- Kids Care project (also Shaw Heights Alum) came to do a recycling community project with the YESS mentors. A month ago she had contacted Shaw Heights asking if the hotel could work with the leaders in the school to build a display for the hotel. The display is made  with 100% recyclable materials. Her information was passed on to me from the office and today she came to talk about the recycling project at the hotel, and brought 75 cookies for the students. All of the projects the students made will be put on display at the DoubleTree Hotel on Yates Drive through the Holiday season. The group of students that win for the best snowflake will win a pass to the pool with their friends.

 Recyclable materials

Delicious 310 calorie cookies!

                                                                              


 


Team Work

                                       Belen, from the DoubleTree- Kids Care

November 10th- November 14th

November 10th- November 14th

This week was a very productive week for my mentors. This week the students reached out to an organization to do a community project. The YESS mentors will be holding a clothing drive the first week of December  for  A Precious Child. The students will be collecting many things such as clothes, hygiene products, toys, and books. 

This week the students read a story about a girl who gives into peer pressure. After the students read the story they had to rank the characters in the story from most responsible, to least responsible. It was very interesting to hear the students perspective on what is responsible. This week we also made collages of who we are, and what makes us who we are. I am going to save these till May, then return these to the students so they can see how much they have changed and grown.

We are doing a number of listening and giving directions exercises this week so students can practice giving directions with patience, as well as see how well they listen.

Finally, I did grade checks on every student that I have to see if they are doing well in their classes as well as to see what missing work they have so they can make it up during our Friday homework day. Teachers left comments about the students on the progress check papers. Every student from every teacher had a comment about how their behavior has changed for the better. I am very happy to hear that my students are being leaders in the classroom, and in the halls.

Since my mentors are doing so well. I picked the top students to attend a Nuggets game on Wednesday. All parents and I exchanged information, and all students had a ride to and from the game. They had a blast! This was all their first time attending a game!

November 3rd- Novemeber 7th

November 3rd- November 7th

This week was another successful week here at Shaw Heights. This week the students went over "Let me introduce myself," from the curriculum as well as discussed what a mentor is , and what a mentor isn't.  We also went over their "job description. After we went over their job description I asked them to write the first word that pops into their head when they hear the word, "mentor.'

I loved hearing the word the students associated with "mentor." Along with getting into the curriculum, we did a team building exercise where the mentors had to figure a out a way to get the knots out of this string without taking their hands off and without getting out of line. This was a fun activity and the mentors did a great job of working together.

This week we also tackled an issue that I have noticed among the students here at Shaw Heights and it is dealing with racist jokes/ names, and being judgmental. As leaders and mentors this is not language or behavior I want to hear or see from them. We did a little activity called, "The Face Game." This is an activity that brings attention to stereotypes and our own judgements . Each student was given a face from a magazine and the student had to write the profile of this person. They had to write their name, age, occupation, educational background, family life/ home life, socioeconomic status and religion. After students answered these questions and the students presented their face we discussed why and how the students came up with their answers.  We did it a second time and the profile of the face changed because the students did not want to be judgmental or "micro-agressive." Since this activity students have really tried to filter their language and jokes, as well as tried to be less judgmental. I have B lunch duty and the mentors behavior and language was 100 times better. I even overheard one of my mentors ask his friend to not use certain words.

The mentors here at Shaw Heights are already making changes among their peers and in the halls. I am very proud of the group of kids that are in the program.

MENTEE RECRUITMENT

I have met with 20 students that have been recommended for the program and 11 of them have already turned in their parent approval forms. I asked teachers to recommend students who would benefit form the program and from having a mentor, and from the list I have met with the students individually. On Monday I will be visiting the 6th grade homerooms to talk about the program.

October 27th- Ocotber 31st

FIRST WEEK OF CLASS!

This week was the first week of class here at Shaw Heights Middle School. It was nice to see the mentors everyday. Each class has a  unique dynamic. I have 5 classes and some students schedules were changed so one class has 7 students when another class has 12. Luckily, my class of 12 is a really great group of kids and everyone gets along well. When I am talking they give me their attention and they work well with one another. 

 

On the first day we discussed ground rules for the class, and we brainstormed ways I can hold the students accountable for breaking these rules. 

This week we focused on doing some team building exercises. We did a spaghetti tower using marshmallows to keep the noodles together. The classes competed against other classes for snacks. The class with he highest tower won! 

Another activity we did this week was a number game. I put numbers on the student's back and the students had to arrange each other in numerical order without talking or gesturing.

Next week we will continue to do some more team building activities as well as transition into the curriculum!

October 20th- 24th

October 20^th- October 24^th, 2014

This week was a very productive week. I had a meeting  with the principal and the director of student services. Classes will begin on Monday October 27th. I will have only the mentors this semester. We also started to identify mentees. All staff will give me 5 recommendations and I will meet with the mentees during my lunch, academic enrichment, and during 4th period. The goal is to have all mentees identified by December 12th. 

 

On Wednesday I attended a workshop at North High school called, “Coaching your Student to Academic Success.” I felt that this was an awesome workshop that will be beneficial for me on how I can guide students into furthering their education as well as how to speak to a student so that the student knows I am concerned about them and their issue. We discussed the 5 levels of listening , which is something I will want to teach my mentors. 

Today, students received their schedule changes and are excited and ready to start on Monday!

 

October 13th- October 17th

October 13^th- October 17^th

This week at Shaw Heights I worked on schedule changes. Now I know how many students I will have per class period, and what class period I will have these students.

1st period- 9 students

2^nd period- homeroom Academic Enrichment- If I need mentors more or Mentees more I will have this period

3^rd- 10 students

4^th - lunch break

5^th – 9 students

6^th- 9 students

7^th- 11 students

The first semester will be just mentors. We are still waiting for the class to become a part of educate and infinite campus in order to begin the program. I have a few spots open because some students have to take ELL or literacy intervention and do not have a free elective. I am looking to fill these spots in the next week.

 I have an academic enrichment class of one student.and his name is  Chrisian. He is my little helper during 2nd  period and he is assisting me in preparing for the program.He is making a YESS sign that the students will sign on the first day of class along with their class expectations agreement.

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Also, the secretary at Shaw Heights connected me with a woman named Belen who is looking for students to participate in a community project. Belen is a Shaw Heights alum and is now running a program at the Double Tree Hotel in Westminster. The program is “Teaching Kids to Care.”  Students who participate in this art project get to have their projects on displayed at the Double Tree and win a free night stay for their family. November 15^th is the day we will come together to work on a project. Today we had a meeting to discuss how the mentors can show leadership through working on her art project. This is national recycle day, so we are brainstorming on what the outcomes of this project is and how we can come together to make an amazing art project that will be displayed at the Double Tree hotel.

On Thursday, I attended the Emosmart  Leadership for Youth and Role Models workshop in Boulder! 

October 6th- October 10th

PIZZA PARTY!

This week at Shaw Height we celebrated the mentors that have been accepted into the program. All 50 mentors have gone through the application process, interview process, and parents approval for the course. I believe in all 50 mentors. They each have something unique and special to offer to the program.

During the pizza party all students asked questions about the program and I went over what to expect in the following weeks to come.

All of the students are excited to be mentors, and are proud to be apart of YESS!

September 29th- October 3rd

This week was another successful week! I was able to have a meeting with the principal, vice principal, dean of students, and the two counselors at Shaw Heights  to discuss the students I have picked to be mentors for the program. During this meeting it was brought to my attention that some students will not be able to participate in the program because they are in literacy intervention and an ESL class (which means they do not have electives). Luckily, one of the counselors sent me a list of  15 students to meet with on Wednesday. On Wednesday, I did all day interviews, and these interviews were with 8th graders. I feel like I have the best support here at Shaw Heights, and I have picked some amazing mentors for the program here as well.


Next week, I am planning on having a pizza party to congratulate the mentors that were selected for the program. During the pizza party I will  give the mentors a pull out schedule, which will happen until the course becomes available on educate.

Also, this week I received some school supply donations from the community liaisons, also know as "The Julias." These kind ladies  gave me :

12 boxes pf crayons

•  2 boxes of Kleenex
•  48 erasers
• 12 boxes of colored pencils
• 37 scissors
• 16 notebooks
•  And 10 glue sticks

 

I priced these items on office depot. This would have cost 186. 76 This also includes the supplies they gave me a few weeks ago. Which also included writing utensils and art supplies.

Also, to insure that elective teachers are not upset that I am pulling 50 mentors from their classes. I have given students a form for their parents to fill out that says it is okay for the student to drop electives such as choir to join my class. I have not had any push back from this. In fact, I have had parents call me to talk about the opportunities their child will have by being in the YESS program and the parents are excited about their child becoming mentors.

All in all, this was a busy but great week!