An elite group of students at Eden Valley-Watkins schools stand up and proclaim “I am in IMPACT.” These energized kids went back to school with a sense of pride and belonging. Members greeted part of their clique in the hallways. These privileged students are part of Project IMPACT, the specialized mentoring and integenerational program in Eden-Valley Watkins (EV-W) school district. “It is almost as if there is an invisible wall between this small community because they are so close,” mentoring coordinator Dorothy Anderson said. While there may be an invisible wall between the students, once they step out of the school, the wall disappears. Students know that the community cares about them, especially the students who have their own mentors. “A mentor is a special friend and guide,” Anderson said. “The mentee knows that they are so special to that person.” Twenty-five mentoring pairs exist throughout the two small towns of Eden Valley and Watkins. Some children are mentored with a husband-wife team and others just have one partner. Together, the partners work on homework, play paintball, swim and just hang out. “This (hanging out) is what kinds seem to enjoy the most,” intergenerational director Sherri Zieglmeier said. “They like seeing the family [of their mentor] and just baking a cake.” Anderson added, “We encourage the mentors to take them with in whatever they are going to do that day. It doesn’t have to be anything special.” Students chosen to participate in Project IMPACT were originally identified as needing help. They may have been facing difficulties at school or dealing with personal or family problems. Mike Mathies, the school counselor at EV-W, said that these students have really come a long way, which is the goal of Project IMPACT. “These kids have made great strides. They get a sense that the community really cares about them and what they do.” Zieglmeier and Anderson couldn’t wait to share success stories about mentoring pairs. They were so excited to tell the stories that they often interjected comments about particular students and sat back and smiled. They also built off of each other’s comments. Anderson explained one particular situation. “We had one student whose teacher contacted us, and said this student would not pass,” Anderson said. “We found a guy that said he would go and tutor this students. “When the child went back to school this year, he had a new teacher. The new teacher had no idea that this student had problems. His mentor really worked miracles with him.” Zieglmeier said that students often develop new confidence through the program. “There is a group of students that do community service projects together. “At the Lion’s banquet, I asked two of the older kids to get up and speak. Both of these kids got up and spoke. This was something they wouldn’t have normally have done. “They really are very proud of what they have done. The students feel like they are ‘top dog’ in this realm.” Building it from the ground up The mentoring program originally started in 1996 when the EV-W school district noticed that some of their students were falling through the cracks. Mathies said that this was observed in results of the Minnesota state survey, which is taken every three years by students in the sixth, ninth and twelfth grades. The results indicated that students felt that the community did not care about them. At this point, the EV-W communities came together to determine what they could do for their students. Members of local churches joined with residents and school personnel to find a solution. In a grass roots effort, the group literally grew the program from the ground up. The community decided to form a program that would connect youth and adults through positive interaction. The group soon realized the efforts were too big for volunteers to handle alone. Hiring help Feeling as if they had taken on more than they could handle, the group sought funding help from a Pact 4 grant. With proper funding, Project IMPACT hired a mentoring coordinator and intergenerational activity program director. These positions were filled by Anderson and Zieglmeier, respectively. The two women said they love their job, especially since they feel like they are making a difference in the lives of children. “These children [involved in mentoring] have wonderful self esteem,” Anderson said. “They have a greater connection to the community.” Zieglmeier added, “One of the things that I see is that these children feel very important. They have people other than teachers and parents that make them feel good.” Generations of fun In addition to the mentoring program, Project IMPACT coordinates intergenerational activities. They meet with the local nursing homes,to give children a chance to interact with senior citizens. In the summer, students plant a community garden with area adults. “In the garden, each kid is allowed a 4×4 piece,” Zieglmeier said. In their plots, students decide what they will grow. For upkeep, students spend two days a week at the garden, taking care of their individual piece, watering, weeding and picking vegetables. “The kids really enjoy this because they can be themselves out there,” Zieglmeier said. “The are learning life long skills [in the garden]. I really believe in my hear that 90 percent of these kids will continue gardening.:” Besides the garden, different intergenerational activities are held. Some activities have been bowling, swimming, attending the Twins game and hosting a carnival. Putting their money where their mouth is Project IMPACT also operates a program called “kid change,” which raises money to provide for students’ basic needs. “You often find that teachers are digging in their pockets for something,” Anderson said. To relieve teachers of this expense, kid change was created. “It pays for things like class trips,” Anderson said. Mathies added, “Sometimes a kid may have a growth-spurt and not have clothes that fit them. This [fund] provides students with clothes. It also helps pay for sports.” Zieglmeier said, “In the past, we have paid for lunches and eye glasses. The teachers are very appreciative of this service [since it provides for students’ basic and learning needs].” School shopping To provide underprivileged students with back-to-school necessities, IMPACT holds a supply drive. Lists of needed items are placed up around town, at banks and in churches. Area residents see the lists and drop off the needed supplies. The donations are gathered and brought to one location. Here, students “shop” for their supplies. “This really gets students excited for school because they have something new for school,” Mathies said. Zieglmeier added that students get a choice in which backpack, notebooks and pencils they get for school. Anderson said, “There are so many facets of impact that there really is no limit to the things that we can do in the community.” This year’s supply drive served 88 students. Toilsome rewards Mentors volunteer their time and may find that their efforts are fruitless at times. However, mentors claim that the rewards make all of the time worth it. “One of our mentors said ‘he will surprise me, frustrate me and teach me more than I could ever imagine,’” Zieglmeier said. Anderson added, “It is a two-way street, the mentor also learns from the mentee.” Zieglmeier and Anderson said that anyone is capable of being a mentor, and current mentors vary in age from 22-72. Some mentors are retired while others work in the community. “You always look for an adult who can be a positive role model, who will follow through. Usually, the ones who are the most busy are the best.” The trio said that every mentor has helped show these students that life can be different, it can be better – particularly for those kids who are having problems at home. “Many times I say that we need to break the vicious cycle [and show them positive family interactions],” Anderson said. Zieglmeier finished the statement with, “they see that life can be different, it can be bette
r.” The impact State test results show that mentoring has made a difference in the EV-W community. On the Minnesota state survey, Mathies said the school tracks certain questions. “The ones we track are [perceptions of] the community members, clergy and teachers caring about the students. These results have risen over the last three years.” The results of the police department and law enforcement agencies caring about students have also increased. “We are bridging the gap [between the community and students],” Zieglmeier said. “I think that people always cared, but IMPACT gave them the opportunity to see this” Mathies said. Anderson added, “To me, IMPACT has broken that barrier.” Zieglmeier said one of her students who recently went on to college summed it up by saying, “I was successful because all of the adults that cared for me.”
