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Blue ribbon mentors teach by example

Posted on October 4, 2007October 4, 2007 by Staff

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate program could use a few good men.

The program, which matches fourth-graders with mentors, needs male volunteers. BRMA fall training begins October 11, and thus far only women have signed up to become mentors.

“We really need some male mentors,” said program coordinator Graig Meyer. “We always do.

“We have a very difficult time recruiting men.”

The program was founded by the school district in 1995 as an effort to help close the minority achievement gap. BRMA initially focused on black students, but has included Latino students in recent years as well.

“We’re one of the main ways that the district tries to impact what happens outside of the classroom,” Meyer said.

Mentors and mentees spend at least two hours each week together, going to museums, school open houses, watching movies or just hanging out.

“The need for male mentors is even greater than that for females,” Meyer said.

“There are so many more males in the community who need mentoring because they don’t have a male role model in their lives.”

The program requires mentors to make a two-year commitment in order to form a substantial relationship with their mentees.

Will Dudenhausen has mentored with BRMA for four years, and said his mentee has kept him young.

“I stay into things,” he said. “It’s nice to go out to a football game and have somebody out there [playing].

“It’s also nice to care about somebody and want to go out and watch their game and hang out with them.”

Dudenhausen and his mentee go to soccer games, to the beach or to talk to his teachers.

“I try to do things that embrace his cultural heritage and at the same time offer new things that might be outside what he normally sees,” he said.

Although his mentee has less time as he gets older, Dudenhausen said he always is able to find times for them to get together.

Many of the program’s mentors have very busy lives as well, said Meyer, but are still able to find the time to spend with their mentees.

For instance, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Superintendent Neil Pedersen mentored for eight years, until 2003, when his mentee graduated from high school.

BRMA only requires that mentors stay in the program for two years, but most volunteers continue to mentor long after that. In fact, most 12th grade mentees are still with the same mentors with whom they started the program in fourth grade.
Over the years, said Meyer, mentors develop relationships with not only their mentees but their families as well:

“One of the beautiful things about our program is that the mentors get to know our students and get to know their families.

“People from different parts of the community start to know each other.”
Dudenhausen acknowledged that one of the best parts about being a mentor has been getting to know his mentee’s family.

“I love his family,” he said, adding that he recently attended his mentee’s sister’s quinceañera, a traditional coming-of-age celebration for girls in Latino families.
Volunteers can apply to become a mentor any time before training starts on October 11. For more information, contact Meyer at 918-2170 or gmeyer@chccs.k12.nc.us.

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