MENTORING IN A NEW DIRECTION (MIND)

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

Mentoring In a New Direction (MIND) promotes and teaches responsibility to middle-school-aged youth from disadvantaged circumstances throughout Orange County. This program serves our youth through imaginative programs that enrich their lifelong relationships with family, friends, and society. Fortunately, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners chose to continue to fund the After School Zone now in 29 middle school sites throughout Orange County. MIND is an add-on component of the After School Zone’s program that provides gender specific mentorship through the Minority Male Leadership Initiative (MMLI) and Girls Groomed for Greatness program. The goal of MIND is to assist the school system in reducing achievement gaps of youth in disadvantaged communities, and ultimately increasing graduation rates by empowering middle-school-aged youth to cross the bridge into adulthood. This is accomplished through a “team approach,” utilizing the experiences, knowledge and skills from educators and community volunteers. The program also provides unique experiences to the members, allowing them to take advantage of opportunities they may not otherwise get a chance to experience (e.g. visiting college campuses, exposure to the STEM field through interactive workshops provided by the Orlando Science Center, and much more.)