Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement

Category: News

Susan L. Taylor welcomes new group of The Rising mentors

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

At an October 2 training session for new mentors, Susan L. Taylor, founder and CEO of the National CARES Mentoring Movement, warmly welcomed our new volunteers during an online video session. About a dozen new mentors, both men and women, attended the training. They will be supporting The Rising programs at Denny International and Meany middle schools, which launch later this month.

Sponsored by King County Best Starts for Kids, The Rising has enrolled 80 scholars in the program this year – up from the earlier cohort of 40 students. Its three-year cohort model focuses on enhancing self-esteem, critical-thinking skills and cultural pride among middle-school student scholars.

Susan L. Taylor founded the National CARES Mentoring Movement in 2006 in response to the devastation that occurred after Hurricane Katrina. Since that time, the organization has become a recognized leader in recruiting, training and engaging Black mentors to support youth. Through its nationwide affiliate program, National CARES is now active in 58 U.S. cities; Seattle CARES is one of the largest and most active affiliate programs.

O’Dea scholarship expands horizons for Rising scholars

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

In 2019, middle school student August joined The Rising program. That action may have changed the course of his life.

Earlier this year, as August was wrapping up eighth grade, a school counselor recommended he look into attending O’Dea High School. His mother Mercedes thought it was out of reach financially. A few days later, she received a call from The Rising, offering August a full-tuition academic scholarship to the school – one of two Rising students selected.Two other Rising scholars are attending O’Dea, as well.

The scholarships came about through the intercession of Seattle CARES mentor Jeff Forge who is friends with Lucas Dobbs, O’Dea’s vice principal. “Lucas mentioned the school had a private donor interested in funding tuition for two students,” Jeff recalled. “It was great that Seattle CARES leadership could identify the kids and work with the students, parents and O’Dea to make it happen.”

Since 2019, The Rising has offered a variety of support to August and his family. Along with the other Rising families, they received regular phone calls to make sure they had groceries and could pay the rent. August accessed tutors for academic support and went to Wellness Circles where he could share his experiences and hear words of encouragement.

But the greatest bonus was having a mentor.  “August sees his mentor as a life line when he needs help or when his confidence is shaken,” said Mercedes. “They have established a trust that is unshakable. Suddenly a young man who looks poor in support systems feels as rich as a king.”

Mercedes also attends a Wellness Circle for women. “I enjoy this community of scholars’ moms,” she said. “I look forward to that hour of unplugging from the busyness of my life and hearing the wisdom and inspiration of other women.”

Although Mercedes sees some challenges ahead for August – he’ll be attending a school with fewer African American students than he is used to, for example — his mentoring relationships and tutoring support from The Rising have helped him get ready. Her advice for her son? Take advantage of everything O’Dea has to offer!

“I hope this opportunity gives him confidence later on when he applies to colleges,” she said. “I want him to think big about what he will do with his life.”

Keeping communities safe

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

On Sept. 23, Seattle CARES delivered 50 boxes of hand sanitizer to the loading docks at Denny International and Meany middle schools. Some 800 bottles of sanitizer were distributed to students that day.

These schools are the current location of Seattle CARES’ The Rising Program. This fall, The Rising welcomed its second cohort of 80 students and families.

The program works with boys and girls from under-resourced families, helping to instill the determination and critical thinking skills they need to avoid  predicable futures.  A study conducted in Seattle last year showed 92 percent of students who participated in The Rising had increased self-confidence. Racial identity and racial pride also improved as did social and emotional intelligence.

“We wanted to make a contribution to help keep people safe,” said Seattle CARES Executive Director Don Cameron. “Hand sanitizers, along with washing hands and wearing masks, are proven to do that.”

The Rising: A mentor’s perspective

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

In January 2018, when Seattle CARES launched its mentoring movement in partnership with City of Seattle, Christian Love was in the audience. He was so inspired by the presentation and the enthusiasm he felt that night that he signed up to become a mentor, wanting to make an impact on his community.

Christian, who grew up in Detroit, got interested in mentoring early on. As a middle-school student, he was asked to serve as a role model for younger students, helping them set academic goals and improve their classroom behavior. Today, he is pursuing his doctoral degree in higher education at the University of Washington, a first-generation graduate student.

He has been a volunteer mentor with The Rising from the very beginning. “I wanted to help pave the way for future scholars to serve as leaders in our community,” he said. “Over the past three years, I’ve seen these young men grow and develop in many ways, from gaining leadership skills to advocating for important issues that impact Black and Brown youth in Seattle.”

Christian pointed out how a group of students who were quiet and reserved as sixth-graders had become leaders by eighth grade, thanks to The Rising. “They became the first to step up and volunteer for a student-based leadership role,” he said. “Now, as they move on to high school, they want to be student leaders, to join organizations and help impact the culture at their schools. Some will even be coming back to serve as peer mentors for the second cohort of Rising scholars.”

Christian was thrilled that two of The Rising students received scholarships to O’Dea High School. “This will be a game changer,” he said. “It’s an opportunity for them to change the narrative of their current stories and set the stage for positive life outcomes in the years to come.”

Mentor Spotlight: Jeff Forge

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

Jeff Forge always enjoyed working with kids so becoming a mentor with Seattle CARES seemed a natural next step.

Jeff grew up in New York City and attended the University of Wisconsin on a football scholarship, graduating with a B.S. in child and family studies. He earned a second degree in computer science and lunar and planetary science at the University of Arizona. Along the way, he was a Montessori preschool teacher, a middle school math teacher, and most recently, for the past 20 years, a software engineer.

Recently, we asked Jeff to tell us more about mentoring and what it means to him.

Why did you become a mentor?

Mentoring is important work. Even though I have my own kids, I feel that as a community, the success and well-being of all children is the responsibility of all of us. When I came across the opportunity to participate with Seattle CARES, I jumped at the chance.

What do you like most about mentoring? 

I enjoy getting to know both the students and the other mentors.

Was mentoring important to you growing up?

When I look back on my youth and my time in both athletics and academics, what stands out for me are the mentors and the people who guided me along the way.

Describe being a mentor in three words.

Committed, humble, consistent.

Learn more about mentoring here.