AALEAD Mentoring Program Celebrates 20 Years: National Mentoring Month Kick Off
By Vi Bui, Youth Mentoring & Volunteer Programs Coordinator
Photos Courtesy of AALEAD Staff
Did you hear? January 2018 is National Mentoring Month and this year, AALEAD, as well as our Mentoring Programs, celebrate 20 years of serving youth in the DC area community. In 1998, Ms. Sandy Dang founded AALEAD and the Youth Mentoring Program has been with us ever since as one of our oldest programs. Although the model of our Youth Mentoring Program has changed throughout the years, in its current state it intends to match Asian Pacific American youth in a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult from the community who provides social, emotional, academic, and life skills support. In 2016, AALEAD launched the Community College Mentoring Program, expanding our reach to Asian Pacific American students at Montgomery College, and supporting them with one-on-one career-readiness coaching.
Check out these snapshots of the AALEAD Mentoring Programs throughout the years!
This month we will be hosting a Mentor and Family Appreciation Event for our program participants to bring together everyone who is involved in making mentoring a successful relationship: youth, volunteers, program staff, and families.
During National Mentoring Month 2018 AALEAD’s Mentoring Programs staff will be taking over the blog with weekly blog posts highlighting the impact of our programs. We will also be participating in the #MentorIRL Social Media Campaigns hosted by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership. Here’s how YOU can participate:
- January 4, 2018 – I Am a Mentor Day
Are you or have you been a mentor? Share your experience about how being a mentor has impacted you and follow the conversation on #MentorIRL and #AALEADMentor.
- January 11, 2018 – National Mentoring Month Kick-Off Twitter Chat
Join a national conversation about how mentoring impacts local communities. AALEAD will be tweeting about the importance of mentorship in Asian American communities. Follow along on #MentorIRL, #AALEADMentor, and #NationalMentoringMonth.
- January 17, 2018 – International Mentoring Day
At AALEAD, we know learning occurs beyond borders and cultures. Follow and share our stories about how mentoring across cultures impacts young people.
- January 25, 2018 – #ThankYourMentor Day
Did you have a mentor growing up who made an impact on you? Take some time to thank your mentor for everything that you’ve learned from them and the experiences you had together today as a part of the #ThankYourMentor campaign.
Are you interested in learning more about the Youth Mentoring or Community College Mentoring Programs? Please reach out to Vi Bui (Youth Mentoring Program Cordinator) at vbui@aalead.org or Freidricka Camille (Community College Mentoring Program Coordinator) at fcamille@aalead.org.