"Changed Youth" Change Youth

Lauren Mora, student mentor at Woodrow Wilson High School.

Lauren Mora and Isobel Cabato were trained through our Power Lunch peer-to-peer mentorship program last year. As 11^th graders at Woodrow Wilson High School this year, they are ready to lead change within their generation.

According to Lauren, “Kids need to know that being mentored can benefit them and their futures. Mentors provide a safe place for them to express themselves and gain more knowledge about life, school, and relationships. Students need mentors to motivate and guide them.”

Isobel Cabato, student mentor at Woodrow Wilson
 High School.

Dallas Leadership Foundation’s Power Lunch program has two tracks. Weekly, adult mentors enter one of the 10 schools DLF is serving and use a life skills curriculum to facilitate discussions during lunch times. Mentors arrive at the schools with pizza and engage students on such topics as “How to improve grades” and “How to resolve conflict.” Concurrently, adult mentors hold training sessions for students on how to mentor their peers.

        YLM Director, Robert Triggs,  with PL students at Evolution Academy.

Isobel said, “I have always believed in Paul Shane Spear's ‘As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.’ The peer-to-peer training enhanced my understanding about student behavior in class and how mentors can change others. A student is more comfortable talking to another student rather than an adult, especially a teacher, because students understand each other.”

Teachers and faculty members at the 10 schools DLF is serving have welcomed DLF’s Power Lunch program because they see tremendous value in having students mentored. Denise Tucker, Director for the Academy of Finance at Woodrow Wilson High School, gave feedback from last year’s Power Lunch program  this way, “The student mentors were excited and they received amazing training from Dallas Leadership Foundation. Sometimes as adult mentors and teachers, we become parents; sometimes a student’s parents are not in the picture. Mentoring is a huge way to help them envision what could possibly be the future for them.”

Students in Power Lunch at Long Middle School.

When asked about their feelings regarding this year’s Power Lunch, Lauren said, “I am so excited! I'm looking forward to seeing each and everyone of the mentees grow and gain confidence in themselves. I am big on being comfortable in your own skin and where you come from, and just to be part of a program that allows me to help with these types of things is just such a blessing to me.”  Isobel added, “I am looking forward to this year's program. I am looking forward to what the program will bring to the students and how the program will benefit the mentees and the mentors. I am also looking forward to the free food.”