Mentor Resources

Mentoring… The Core of ChalleNGe

Mentor Agreement

As mentor and mentee, we agree to adhere to the following guidelines during our commitment to the MS Youth Challenge Academy.

You’ve got it. The kids need it.

Volunteer as a Mentor and help shape and mold the lives of our youths.

We know a lot about life. Which roads lead nowhere? Which chances are worth taking? Remember when you were a kid? Remember the grown-ups who nudged you along, applauded your successes, soothed your fears? Would you be where you are without them … your mentors? Now it’s your turn. The Mississippi National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program and ChalleNGe Academy offers you the opportunity to mentor a youth-at-risk who has made the decision to work for a better future.

The Mentoring Connection

Benefit from special training – designed to help you decode the worldview of youth-at-risk. Bridge the gap. Commit to a relationship (at least 14 months) with a youth matched to you. Play basketball. Hike. Go to the movies. Be a friend. Help “your kid” stay on track. Work on specific goals. Finish school, get a job, cope with problems, and learn from mistakes. Hold steady in an uncertain world. Receive ongoing support and guidance from a caring, committed staff. We’re all in this together.

We know kids that are at risk, out of school, and running out of time. Many are ready to set a new course in life and are looking for a direction. You already know you’re the kind of person who meets challenges. What challenge could be more satisfying to meet? (In fact, research shows that most mentors called their experiences “fulfilling”.)

What do they need? Time: some of your time and good sense. Wouldn’t it be a shame not to share it?

Your next ChalleNGe?

Youth ChalleNGe

Here’s how it works:

As part of its civil mission to defend against domestic threats, the National Guard has established the Youth ChalleNGe Program for youth who have dropped out of school, one of the most at-risk populations in the U.S. Youth (ages 16 to 18) looking to change their lives voluntarily apply for admission to the Youth ChalleNGe Program. Carefully screened applicants enter a 22-week, rigorous residential program that instills lifestyle changes and self-discipline, getting their education back on track. Midway through this residential phase, a youth is matched with a mentor. The relationship between mentor and youth reinforces the good choices that the youth has made. The mentor-youth relationship is the key to meeting the challenge.

If you are interested in sharing your time and hard-won good sense with a youth who has taken the initiative to get “back on course” with life, please contact our mentor coordinator for an application. Remember, you can make a difference.

For more information please call or email the following individuals:

Mary Heard 601-558-2239 mheard@msyouthchallenge.org

James Smith 601-558-2300 jsmith@msyouthchallenge.org

Rodney McDonald 601-558-2300 rmcdonald@msyouthchallenge.org

Mentor Application (requires Adobe Acrobat) To Download free Adobe Acrobat Reader: