Become a mentor to an NTPS student!
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Why become a mentor to an NTPS student?
Being a kid today can be tough. That’s why mentoring is so important to show young people that someone cares about them, assures them they are not alone, and makes them feel like they matter. While 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor, research shows that quality mentoring relationships can have powerful and positive benefits, including:
- Increased high school graduation rates
- Better attitudes about school
- Healthier relationships
- Enhanced self-confidence
- Improved school attendance, academic performance, and behavior
North Thurston Public Schools provides a variety of unique mentoring opportunities that match older peers or adults with younger students to share friendship, fun, and experiences — with the ultimate goal of helping students become empowered and future-ready! Our mentoring programs include NTPS Lunch Buddies (1:1 elementary), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington (peer mentoring for middle schoolers), and military mentoring opportunities, such as the Lunch Brigade with Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM).
We are also proud to have a variety of mentoring partnerships with community organizations, including Give Back!, Pizza Klatch, YWCA, TOGETHER! Clubhouse, and Push for Dreams; they offer 1:1 and group mentoring activities that best suit each student.
Students are connected to a mentorship opportunity that best serves their strengths, goals, and dreams. For 1:1 mentor matches, mentors generally meet with their mentee at their school for about one hour each week, helping them discuss, set, and achieve their goals.
Would your child benefit from a mentor? To request a mentor for your child, please contact your school counselor or email mentoring@nthurston.k12.wa.us.
Read more about mentoring and volunteering with NTPS in Thurston Talk!
Mentoring Opportunities
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Lunch Buddy Mentoring (1:1)
Did you know students with mentors have increased graduation rates, better attitudes about school, and improved attendance, academics, and behavior? Yet 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor.
Why become a mentor?
Mentoring guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter.
How can I become a mentor?
We are currently seeking mentors for the 2023-24 school year for our Lunch Buddy program, where we match adults to elementary and middle school students who need a little extra one-on-one attention. View the Lunch Buddy flyer
How do I get started?
- Fill out a Lunch Buddy Interest form
- Fill out an NTPS volunteer application
- Complete a mandatory Mentor Training (fall 2023)
- Fill out a Lunch Buddy Application (post training)
If approved, your commitment will be:
- Sign a Lunch Buddy contract
- Meet weekly with your Lunch Buddy during their lunch/recess hour at their school to play games, do activities, and build a friendship
- Contact school to reschedule when you are unable to attend on your assigned day
- Maintain communication with Mentor Liaison regarding concerns, progress.
- Honor confidentiality, cultural diversity, and consistency
- Listen, empathize, and empower
More Questions? Email mentoring@nthurston.k12.wa.us.
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Big Brothers Big Sisters
Peer Mentoring
NTPS is excited to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington to relaunch our Peer Mentoring program in 2022-23! We will match high school students with middle school students to meet weekly to play games, discuss life, and build friendships. We also place peer mentors at South Bay Elementary.
- Apply online, or
- If you would prefer a paper application, please contact mentoring@nthurston.k12.wa.us
Adult Mentors (18+)
We are also seeking 1:1 adult mentors for students of all ages. If you are an adult and wish to participate in school-based mentoring, please fill out an application today and check “site-based mentoring”. Note: Requires a year-long commitment.
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Give Something Back (Give Back)
Give Something Back (Give Back) provides academic assistance, long-term coaching, and support services to high school students (Scholars) who have experienced barriers to success, such as foster care, homelessness, or the incarceration of a parent.
- Become a mentor to connect and spend time with a scholar while helping them build a career-based educational plan and pursue post-secondary education. Fill out the Mentor Interest Form.
- Provide informational interviews for students interested in your career or industry.
- Provide internship opportunities with your organization to help students gain real-world skills and experience.
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Military Mentors
We have a host of mentoring opportunities for JBLM soldiers and airmen, including weekly 1:1, small groups, before- and after-school TOGETHER Clubhouse, and the monthly platoon-based Lunch Brigade! View our military mentoring flyer
Learn more about how you can help empower a younger person to achieve their full potential though encouragement, trust, perspective, and friendship. Contact Katie Linfoot, Military Liaison at klinfoot@nthurston.k12.wa.us and complete an NTPS volunteer application to get started.
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Pizza Klatch
Pizza Klatch supports LGBTQ+ teens every week in secondary schools across Thurston County and creates a safe and positive school life for them. If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, fill out their application.
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Push for Dreams
Push For Dreams is a nonprofit organization that empowers, supports, and mentors elementary, middle, and high school students through specialized and customized, highly structured, and comprehensive group mentoring. Their model emphasizes social-emotional learning, leadership, character development, and basic life skills curricula. They are currently working with students at Envision Career Academy.
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TOGETHER! Clubhouse
TOGETHER! Club House provides before and after-school programming for students at four of our schools: Pleasant Glade Elementary, Lydia Hawk Elementary, Chinook Middle School, and Nisqually Middle School. Club House provides young people with homework help, interactive enrichment activities, physical movement, and a safe place to gather with peers. If you want to become a weekly mentor at Club House, please fill out an NTPS volunteer application and email us at mentoring@nthurston.k12.wa.us. We are also looking for guest speakers to discuss their hobbies or job and how they met their goals.
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YWCA Youth Action Circles
The YWCA Youth Action Circles are a network of youth who care about social justice, learning, and taking action in our community. They are currently active at Nisqually Middle School with a trained facilitator. Volunteer with the YWCA to get involved.
Mentors! Program Vision
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NTPS MENTORS! works to support and empower our students by providing authentic mentoring opportunities with caring peers or adult friends. By working together, they can set, pursue, and achieve positive goals. It’s also a chance for them to work on decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills.
We focus on:
- social-emotional learning
- friendship
- cultural responsiveness and equity