BE A MENTOR: Post Mentoring Programs In Your City

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Comment by Wynsdi Custis on October 7, 2009 at 11:26pm

BALTIMORE, MD - I have a Finishing & Etiquette Academy for girls ages 7-18. We just culminated our 1st semester with our 1st annual Cotillion on Saturday October 3, 2009. We closed with 32 young ladies and throughout the program introduced them to courses in self esteem, moral & values, personal health (mental & hygiene). My name is Wynsdi Custis and I am a 28 year old native of Baltimore, MD. I was reared by a family where my maternal great-grandmother actively participated and has shown the strength of a woman and laid the foundation for me to become who I am today. She and my mother planted seeds in me to be nurtured and groomed by their experiences and life lessons. The morals and values instilled in me by these two women have played a part in helping me to develop standards that the younger generation lack. I’ve found that there are not enough women who are willing to take on the task of dedicating their lives to the successful development and empowerment of young ladies to prevent them from becoming statistics and traveling down roads that can be avoided by proper guidance. There is a need for girls in the Baltimore Metropolitan area to be inspired by positive role models, having someone to look up to, talk to, and to mentor them, but most importantly to positively impact their lives. D.A.R.L.I.N.G.S., D.O.L.L.S., & D.I.V.A.S. The Academy, a Finishing & Etiquette School for young ladies ages 7-18 years old, has been designed to enhance social, mental, and emotional values; to develop a conduit which allows young ladies to maximize the economical and academic success rate of women, and more importantly challenge stereotypes and statistics. The young ladies are taught the basic principles of etiquette and charm, while being given the necessary tools to succeed as a young woman in today’s society. Each student that joins the Academy has the privilege to enjoy the experience of a lifetime, including being able to participate in our Annual Cotillion. Every D.A.R.L.I.N.G. & D.O.L.L. is assigned a D.I.V.A. who serves as her mentor and guides her through her journey in The Academy and in her life outside The Academy as well. In our first year we had the auspicious opportunity to volunteer our time to Habit for Humanities building mosaics for peoples new homes, we participated in the Special Olympics Walk of Howard County, and we took field trips to various places to expose the students to diverse cultures and activities that they may not have otherwise been afforded. While it was my assignment to make an impression on these young ladies whose parents entrusted to me, I was given the greatest gift of all, the opportunity to learn from them and build a lasting sisterhood. It is my hope that in the near future I can take the Academy Worldwide and share this vision and gift with young ladies in other states. Right now all funding for the program comes from the financial resources of the staff and volunteers and through fundraising efforts. I would love to be able to one day step out on faith and walk away from my job, to fulfill my passion and run The Academy full time. I anticipate having the Finishing & Etiquette Academy, a before and after school program, a summer camp, and a group home. All these things would play an iatrical part in the lives of the young ladies involved, keeping them from unfavorable situations that they sometimes are subject to on the streets and in their communities. As a leader in the community, I intend to expand my dream and desire to reach the masses to show young ladies their true worth and assist them in reaching their fullest potential.

Comment by solgoddess on June 18, 2009 at 9:41pm

Savannah, Ga - (1) National Council of Negro Women mentors Youth Girls -Ages 8 to 17 (2) Savannah-Chatham Silver Cheetahs trains and mentors youth boys and girls in the sport of life - Track & Field, for character development and good sportsmanship as we fight childhood obesity (3) the Poet's Project Reading Group assists students from age 6 to 17 with developing strong reading skills. Parents boast about how this program helps their students grades. Message me for information on how to enroll in any of the programs above.

Comment by Eddie Brumfield on June 18, 2009 at 3:16pm

Shreveport, Louisiana Reach for the Stars Mentoring Program at Eddie Jones West Shreveport Elementary School

Comment by CHERYL (BKA) Natural Beauty on June 18, 2009 at 2:53pm

This is a good idea to post this and ask people to get involved. I’m involved in the Big Brother Big Sister program and it helps me to understand the young youth better as well as help give some love and encouragement to the kids who need a shoulder to cry on, someone just to listen, or someone who they can get advice or encouragement from.

Mentoring is something you have to make time for as well as have a kind heart and a strong mind because there are a lot of kids who really need a positive person in their life, so I try to do my part. I wish I could do more but a couple days a month doesn’t hurt any body so please get involved, there is a child out there that really need you.