Walnut Street School's Mentoring Partnership Program
The mentoring program at Walnut Street School (WSS) began six years ago when the school was introduced to the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island and the Law Firm of Certilman, Balin, Adler and Hyman, LLP. Since then, the school partnered with them and formed a one-to-one mentoring program of LIKE (Lawyers Involved in Kids’ Education). The mentor-mentee pairs meet weekly and engage in games and brainteasers while getting to know each other and bonding with one another. Due to the success of this program, in 2007 the FOCUS (Focusing on Children Uniting with Staff) program was created. Administrators, teachers and support staff of the school volunteer their time to meet with their mentee weekly. Students engage in activities including crafts, discussions, story-writing and games. These gatherings help to foster caring relationships that develop between a mentor and their mentee. The success of these programs is evident in their continued growth and development as more students and staff members are positively impacted each year.