Mentor Programs

A high school mentoring program helps develop critical social skills, encourages academic achievement and provides positive, life-enriching experiences for students. Everyone needs mentoring at some point in their life, and everybody will be a mentor at some point in their life, even when they get into the real world. Just some of the positive benefits from high school mentoring programs include lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates, superior self-esteem, optimal attitude about school, increased chance at porfessional success and many more.

For more information about our mentoring programs, please click on the tabs below.

Stacy Carle
College and Career Advisor, Early College/College Now, Scholarship Director, Aspire Coordinator stacy.carle@medford.k12.or.us
541-842-1417

Angel Garcia
College and Career Advisor, TRiO Coordinator angel.garcia@medford.k12.or.us
541-842-5363

Aspire

Mission Statement

ASPIRE (Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone) provides mentoring and resources to help students access education and training beyond high school.

Description

ASPIRE advisors work one-on-one with high school students in helping them research and access post-secondary education. Our volunteer advisors help keep students accountable for applying for college and also in submitting their financial aid and scholarship applications. They assist them with their online research with careers and colleges. The most important role of the advisor is to provide another adult in the student's life who is there to encourage and support them in their pursuit of an education beyond high school. Training is provided by the ASPIRE staff. Advisors generally serve 1 to 4 hours per month and all mentoring is done onsite at South Medford High School.

ASPIRE at South Medford High School

The ASPIRE program here at South Medford is important because it is giving every student an opportunity to further their education. It is also important in bringing the community and the high school together. I feel this program will help break down some preconceived notions about high school students that many community members have. My hope is that this program will be able to have sustainability power through community volunteers.

Advisors must first pass a criminal background check and agree to do all advising at the high school during school hours. To learn more about the ASPIRE program you can visit the website at www.aspireoregon.org

Volunteer Information

Volunteers are trained by the ASPIRE administration team to become an ASPIRE Advisor. The success of this program depends on their efforts and commitment. ASPIRE Advisors are assigned to work one-on-one with students, guiding them through important steps toward postsecondary education including exploring career and college or vocational program options, planning ahead, finding the college or program that best fits the student's needs, applying for scholarships and other financial aid. To learn more, go to the ASPIRE website.

For more information, please contact Stacy Carle, SMHS ASPIRE Coordinator at (541)842-1408 or stacy.carle@medford.k12.or.us.

Aspire Student Application - Please complete and return to Stacy Carle in the Panther Future Center.

Aspire Volunteer Application - Please complete and return to Stacy Carle in the Panther Future Center.

Manor Mentors

Who are the Manor Mentors?

The Manor Mentors are a group of men from Rogue Valley Manor, a retirement community of nearly a thousand residents in Medford, Oregon. Their lifestyle includes an exceptional variety of cultural events, educational seminars, hobbies, sports and activities of every kind. They also volunteer to share their skills and areas of expertise with the other residents and the community at large. The Manor Mentor Program draws men from 350 successful retired doctors, engineers, scientists, lawyers, judges, teachers, professors, bankers, and school administrators who have retired at the Rogue Valley Manor.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor is a caring, adult friend who volunteers his time to help a student. The mentor's goal is to use his lifetime of experience to help the student discover his strengths, explore his opportunities and achieve his full potential for a successful future.

A mentor builds a one-on-one trusting, respectful relationship with his student, offering him guidance, support, and encouragement and building the student's self-confidence.

A mentor helps the student understand, relate to and develop the tools to successfully deal with life situations, leading to life-enhancing decisions.

Research supports the benefits of mentoring for a student. A mentor supports parents and educators in the mission to help students reach academic success.

Building Futures

The vision of the Manor Mentors and Financial Aid Program is to first provide a mentor to boys during their junior and senior year of high school and beyond.

School Counselors at the three Medford public high schools will recommend young men who would benefit by having a mentoring adult.

The first measure of success for each student will be graduating from high school or completion of his GED requirements. The next step would be exploring possibilities of vocational or trade school, or community college, where hands-on skill training is available.

The second part of the Manor Mentors and Financial Aid Program is providing awards for our graduates, such as scholarships for college or vocational school, transportation expenses, trade union apprenticeship dues or local business internship fees, special tools, clothing, equipment or permits for immediate employment.

TRiO

TRiO Educational Talent Search

TRiO Educational Talent Search is a grant funded program through the US Department of Education serving 600 students in Jackson County. The program operates in 7 schools and serves students in grades 6-12. TRIO ETS works with students to provide services that prepare them for a postsecondary education. Services include mentoring, tutoring, career exploration, self-awareness activities, study skills assistance, college testing prep, college planning, college visits/presentations, financial aid and scholarship workshops, cultural and educational trips, college visits and more. Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to take advantage of TRiO ETS services you must qualify as low income and first generation student (your parents did not obtain a 4-year college degree); be low-income only; or be first generation only.
All TRiO ETS participants must be a U.S. citizen or a qualified permanent resident.
All applicants are required to complete a TRiO ETS application form.

All services are FREE and space is limited so sign up today. The most crucial time for preparing for college is right now! Getting ready for college requires planning and making important decisions along the way. Fortunately, TRIO can help! Please contact Angel Garcia in the Panther Future Center for more information and to sign up for TRIO at SMHS or Mac (541)842-5363 or agarcia@roguecc.edu. For program information, click on the following link. web.roguecc.edu/trio-educational-talent-search

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