Oklahoma Mentoring Programs
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Leading in Mentoring · October/November 2020 | Issue 9
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Features & Mentions
BBBSOK (Six locations)
Cache/Lawton
Cheyenne
Claremore
Clinton
Crafts/Activities
Enid (twice!)
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Gratitude
National Mentoring Month - January 2020
National Mentoring Summit (Virtual)
Norman
OICA Fall Forum
Pinellas County Schools Mentoring
Technical Assistance (MENTOR CO & NE)
Tulsa & OKC (SITGM)
Upcoming Webinars...
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Mentoring in Fall 2020 includes virtual, blended in-person and virtual, pen pals, and in-person. Many programs also offer leadership development, and many seek internships and connections for older mentees. Relationships are more important than ever, and Oklahoma mentoring programs are creatively meeting the crises.
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Mentor4OK Pre-K - 1st Mentoring Webinar - Three Videos
Sharing provides models and inspiration to address local needs.
Janalyn Taylor, Principal
Sherry Boyles & Yvonne Covey, Cofounders/Codirectors
Whitney Moore, High School Principal with five of the seventh-grade peer mentors
- "Talls & Smalls"
- Bigs/Littles, Principal's Leadership Council
- B.E.A.R.S. (Building Esteem And Responsibility)
Stanley Brownlee, Founder
- "SB" Crew
- Sixth Grade Mentoring Program
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Upcoming Webinars and Dates |
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VIRTUAL COFFEE / MENTOR CONVERSATIONS |
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Melissa Ramirez, CEO
BBBS OK
December 2, 2020 · 9-10 AM
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Join us to hear how BBBSOK has coped with COVID-19 to make keep Bigs, Littles, and staff safe.
Ask questions and meet others directing or supporting mentoring in Oklahoma.
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Ramirez joined BBBSOK in January 2018 with a passion for mentoring and nonprofit management as well as 20 years of nonprofit experience. In her time there, the organization has reimagined the way it does volunteer onboarding, fundraising event management, and match engagement.
For more than a century, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has been helping change kids’ perspectives and giving them the opportunity to reach their potential. BBBS, an international mentoring program, is a pioneer in development, recruiting, research, and innovation to meet society’s changes and crises. Serving ages 6 - 18.
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Michael Hirsch
Executive Director
Loveworks Leadership
December 10, 2020 · Noon-1 PM
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Join us to learn about this progressive leadership and mentoring model for at-risk middle school students in Norman.
Hirsch is a visionary leader. Regardless of "impossibilities" since Loveworks Leadership's founding in 2011, Hirsch has imaginatively expanded young people's dreams and discipline, e.g., through entrepreneurship, practical skills, fun, technology (before everyone else!), expanding audience...
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Coming in February for secondary and college students (Date TBA)
Bryon Dickens, M. Ed., architect and director of Students Connecting with Mentors for Success (SCMS), Oklahoma City Community College, is presenting his award-winning model for minority students. Accompanying Dickens will be two of his program directors and perhaps a mentee. Program results include retention, improved academics, future vision, and more.
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BEST! Mentoring Program, Cache
BEST! Mentoring pairs positive role models with middle and high school students to help youth to develop life skills and explore career opportunities.
Building Extraordinary Success Today!
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Fundraising and PAL Mentoring Program, Volunteers for Youth, Rogers County |
The PAL Mentoring Program is one component of Volunteers for Youth, Rogers County. Read and learn.
- Fall for Youth Golf Tournament
- O.J.J.D.P. Grant
- Social Entrepreneurism...
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As the pandemic looms on in 2020, more than ever, students need guided and intentional leadership experiences that Loveworks can offer, wherever they find themselves. In a world where entertainment and technology expose our students to many negative influences and often drive their decision-making, they need positive influences to equip them with skills and tools to navigate successfully through life and opportunities to apply their strengths in meaningful ways. This fall, Loveworks has been able to run modified, in-person programming, but we have also had the fortunate opportunity to expand through our digital platform.
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Coach-A-Kid Enid
Youth & Family Services of North Central Oklahoma
Imagine only 15 minutes of online mentoring by mentors anywhere in the world? Dubai, Indonesia, Germany, Enid...
To adapt to changes from COVID-19, John Gray, director of Coach-A-Kid for Youth & Family Services of North Central Oklahoma, has moved away from the program’s original 30-60 minutes of in-person weekly mentoring.
Examples: Using the school district's Google platform, the public library's offering students and mentors space and internet access as needed, recruiting mentors speaking other languages... How Gray has pivoted so successfully is coming soon.
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Stand in the Gap Ministries has developed effective mentoring strategies to elevate and strengthen people from hard places in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Contact SITGM about its mentoring and relationship models and training. 2019 Impact Report.
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Mentoring programs include Life Launch for at-risk young adults ages 16-24, Stand in the Gap for Widows, and Stand in the Gap Women in Transition.
A hat-tip to Stand in the Gap Ministries' Francois Cardinal, executive director, for his leadership and management. Reportedly, he tells his staff to work hard but only for 40 hours a week. Family and life outside of work matter. We salute all of the SITGM staff and volunteers for envisioning and executing how mentors and others can build meaningful relationships and help create new futures. TJ Warren, program director, has spearheaded programming changes and new ideas.
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Several National Mentoring Month events are recognized at the national level and are celebrated on social media.
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Mark these dates on your planning calendar and be sure to engage in the national conversation! Graphics and social media materials coming soon.
January 7, 2021 – I Am a Mentor Day
A day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their role and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world.
January 17, 2021 – International Mentoring Day
In honor of Muhammad Ali’s birthday, join the international conversation on social media where photos, videos and messages of powerful mentoring stories are shared. Use #MentoringDay & #Mentoring month in your posts!
January 18, 2021 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
A day to share in the inspirational words of Dr. MLK, Jr. and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism.
January 27 – January 29, 2021 – National Mentoring Summit (See below.)
January 29, 2021 – #ThankYourMentor Day
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Join us from January 27 – 29, 2021 for the
The Summit has a different (virtual) venue this year, but there will still be plenty of opportunities to connect with and learn from those working in the mentoring field – from researchers to civic leaders to youth advocates!
Registration is open now, and it’s only $75 to register until December 18.
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Gratitude
November is both #ThankYourMentor Month and #NationalGratitudeMonth, We, however, must be practicing gratitude daily and teaching our mentees to do the same.
The Greater Good Magazine, Science-Based Insights for a Meaningful Life is hosted by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. Find research and many useful resources, e.g., the Greater Good Toolkit, the magazine, the calendar...
Return to the site to sign up or look for for future calendars.
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Technical Assistance
Mentor Colorado
Mentor Nebraska
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If you missed this year's forum, the program and Day 1 videos are posted on Facebook. Presentation videos for Days 2-4 are coming soon.
If you have never been able to attend the Fall Forum, you have missed much learning formally and informally.
OICA
"Creating awareness, taking action, and supporting policy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Oklahoma’s children"
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Sponsors championing and nonprofits serving youth can purchase pages for the calendar.
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Youth can submit art for the 2021 OICA calendar. Deadline — through December 6
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Social Emotional Learning Training
METNOR Nebraska provided technical assistance for Claremore's PAL Program. With permission from MENTOR Nebraska to share, you can customize these for your needs.
Oklahomans can apply for free TA from MENTOR Nebraska and/or MENTOR Colorado.
TA - MENTOR Colorado
TA - MENTOR Nebraska
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The recent format has the speaker's edited presentation and helpful tips from mentoring program directors from many states.
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Michelle Roberge, mentoring and district volunteer coordinator, has much for us to use or adapt. Pinellas County had 101,427 students Pre-K - 12 in 2019. Mentoring moved online.
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Local Experience with Technical Assistance (TA) from MENTOR Nebraska
One thing to note about the TA process was the simplicity of the application. It took me five minutes.
We were then assigned a point person to help talk through what help we required. I reached out to MENTOR Nebraska hoping to receive guidance on training our mentors in social emotional learning (SEL). We applied for a couple of other projects, but our application was at the end of the fiscal year. I plan on applying for more assistance.
We received a personalized two-hour training from two MENTOR Nebraska employees on SEL techniques when training others about SEL. We received the PowerPoint as well as a facilitator's guide.
Roxanne Bilby
Director, PAL Mentoring
Volunteers for Youth
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MENTOR Colorado and MENTOR Nebraska also hire specialized contractors, e.g., for data, websites, or other topics.
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Webinars & Campaigns
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Preview of the Special Occasion and Craft Issue
Holiday Activities, Thank Your Mentor or Mentee, Make-together Gift for Mentee to Give
For In-Person or Remote Mentoring
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Nail Polish
Christmas Ornaments
One I really like is to buy see- through glass Christmas balls. The big ones work best. Get $1 bottles of fingernail polish. Remove the stem, pour small amounts down the stem, and swirl it around. You can let one color dry and then add another color. Like red, then green or do all one color.
Linda Downing
Beaver Duster Mentors
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Cinnamon Stick Ornament
Cloth strips, ribbon, fragrant cinnamon sticks...
You may have cloth scraps around the house. Assemble kits for your mentee and for you if wish to "Zoom" or do in-person. Include enough for your mentee to make several for family members.
Roxanne Bilby
PAL Mentoring
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Gingerbread Anything
If you do not bake, assemble, and drop off your own kit, then buy two at grocery or big box stores. Send one to your mentee. Traditional gingerbread houses and trendy ones like the tiny house above are inexpensive and Zoom-friendly. Everything is in one box. Buy cookies and small icing tubes for you and your mentee to decorate.
Beverly Woodrome
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