Mii?amo Mentoring Program

Posted by on September 19, 2003

Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc.
Mii?amo Mentoring Program

The Educational Advancement Alliance (EAA) establishes relationships with underrepresented groups in order to map out goals and objectives for higher educational obtainment. EAA programs foster the development of self-esteem, self-confidence, leadership skills, academic achievement and a greater sense of teamwork and self-worth.

The Mii?amo Mentoring Program (MMP) is just one of the many enrichment programs created by the EAA. The Advanced College Academy Program (ACAP) and After-School Enrichment Program (ASEP) are the two most popular education-based programs at EAA.

The Mii?amo Mentoring Program matches inner city youth (high school) students with academically exceptional college students. In an effort to increase the success of the mentoring program, Mii?amo provides positive role models from their own neighborhood. The MMP focuses on the development of a one-to-one relationship between the mentor and the mentee that will continue over time and assist the mentees with their social and academic development. Mentors are subject to rigorous background checks, mandatory completion of a two hour and thirty minute introductory training.

This program was created out of a specific need in the City of Philadelphia. There are more than 100,000 school age children in Philadelphia who are facing problems that severely impact their ability to become self-sufficient adults and connect with the economic mainstream.

The mentor/mentee pairs participate in two different kinds of activities in a nine-month period. Each pair participates in formal group activities provided by the Mii?amo Mentoring Program. These activities promote exposure to cultural and vocational resources such as trips to various art museums, hiking and other sport related trips, local and national college tours and city sponsored events. The mentor/mentee pairs also have informal meetings where they work on homework, reading and writing skills, and spend quality time together on a one-to-one basis. These informal caring relationships are critical to eleventh and twelfth grade students because newfound relationships between the mentor and the mentee can help to diffuse fears of moving on to college life.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, contact Arianna Summers at asummers@eaalliance.org