Now, more than ever, having someone who cares enough to show up for a child who needs them is vitally important.  Oasis tutors are doing this every day in local schools, helping to guide children who need it towards a better future for themselves.  While their tangible impact can be measured in grades and achievements, their true success lies in the excitement and confidence seen in the students that they mentor.

Sometimes, the simplest lesson can ignite instant change.  One tutor told the following story, “I was teaching the word “lovable” to one of my boys. After defining the word, I used the sentence, “You are a very lovable person.” He looked at me with a shy grin and said, “I have never been called that before.” I lightly hugged his shoulders and said of course he was! Afterwards, he got the most confident set to his body and smile that I have seen all year.”

These small but important moments show just how impactful Oasis tutors are in the lives of the children they mentor.  Over the course of their sessions, a mentoring relationship forms that has a profound impact on the child’s life.  This impact goes beyond academics, it can be a relationship that propels the student forward in their understanding of their true potential.

According to The National Mentoring Partnership, children who are struggling to stay on track but have a mentor are 55% more likely to enroll in college, 52% less likely to skip a day of school and 130% more likely to hold leadership positions later in life.  They also show increased self-confidence and self-esteem, improved behaviors and a better attitude towards school.

Oasis Tutoring uses mentoring to bridge a gap between generations that benefits both the student and the tutor and helps them to understand each other.

Tutors gain so much from the mentor/mentee relationship they form with their student as well.  The satisfaction of serving in their community along with the gratifying experience of seeing the child improve keeps tutors engaged in the world around them.  When asked about the most rewarding part of their tutoring experience, one tutor responded, “I was so delighted when I suggested to my student that we tell each other a story. I told her one and then she thought and thought about telling me one.  And then did!  It was a delightful story and I learned that my student has a creative bent.  Plus, I was delighted that she felt comfortable with me to tell me a story that she made up.”

#MentoringMonth #MentorIRL #ThankYourMentor #BAMmentor! #NationalMentoringMonth