Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement

Category: News

New tutoring sessions with The Rising program fulfills student needs

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

This week, Seattle CARES and some of its partner agencies are launching tutoring sessions for core subject areas for students in its Rising program, a three-year group mentoring program that works with about 45 boys enrolled at Meany and Denny International middle schools.

Tutoring is one of the additional services young people themselves say they need, particularly during the pandemic, according to a recent article in The Seattle Times. In the Road Map Project, a youth-led survey to improve education in South King County, The SeattleTimes reports that students requested tutors, more individualized learning opportunities and more support from adults they trust – all elements of The Rising program.

Read the full Seattle Times article.

Superhero curriculum inspires The Rising scholars

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Seattle Public Schools to close, Seattle CARES had to move quickly to transition The Rising mentoring program at Denny International and Meany middle schools to online formats.

But the virtual environment posed a new set of challenges for Seattle CARES: How to keep the students engaged. The Rising team reached out to the scholars for ideas.

One idea that sparked interest among both mentors and scholars was to create superhero stories and images.The mentors quickly realized the potential of this creative exercise and decided to make it a centerpiece of the online program.

In the beginning, the mentors worked with the scholars to stimulate creative work. Each scholar was asked to come up with a superhero version of himself; each group worked together to create a narrative.

Through local contacts, Seattle CARES reached out to a group of nationally established comic book artists and writers who volunteered to help the scholars and mentors bring their ideas into shape. There was not enough time to create a complete graphic novel but a series of short stories, one for each group, was definitely doable.

The superhero characters were adapted from movies, cartoons and comics but each scholar introduced his own personal elements. The stories they crafted reflected their concerns – whether it was the COVID-19 pandemic or rising police violence. All these issues were folded into discussions of the stories along with the personal dramas that the mentors and scholars discuss regularly.

Working on the superhero stories provided an outlet to explore tensions. The creative consultants saw how the ideas and thought processes of the scholars made their creations vivid and rich. As the program ended, the scholars were encouraged to introduce as much of themselves as possible into their chosen hero-templates.

“We wanted to stretch their imaginations, to empower them,” said Seattle CARES director Don Cameron. “We wanted to show them that change can happen if they work hard and think positively.”

The students met the challenge with imagination and truthfulness. Their project was made into a PowerPoint presentation that was shared with each groups and the organization at the end of the program.

This groundbreaking model has potential for broader use. Creative group interaction is incredibly useful to engage scholars’ interest in an online mentoring setting. With the guidance of their mentors and consultants, the scholars built something that could resonate well beyond the program’s end.

Greg Banks: Seattle CARES Mentor since 2017

Posted on by Rita Cipalla

Greg Banks has been a Seattle CARES mentor since we launched Our Best in 2017. Employed in health care, Banks was one of the first men we recruited into Our Best and one of the first to complete mentor orientation and training.

Banks transitioned to The Rising program two years ago where he mentors a 13-year-old enrolled at Meany Middle School. The young man, who lives with his grandmother in the Central District, has seen more than his share of tragedy. Although his mentee was reluctant to open up at first, Banks persisted and today the two have formed a close friendship.

Along with Banks participation as a mentor, the Seattle CARES team advocated for the family, finding community partners to help pay rent and utility bills. We talked to Banks recently about mentoring.

Why did you become a mentor? I was a troubled youth and there was no one to help me make difficult decisions. My father died when I was 16 years old and I felt so lonely after that.

What do you like most about mentoring? I enjoy building strong relationships with young people. Today’s youth want the same thing I wanted when I was their age: To have someone who is there for them. They want a man who accepts them for who they are. I find it surprising that with all our technology, what a young man wants most is to be loved.

Can mentoring help youth better deal with today’s political and racial tensions? There is a lot going on in the world today, from police abuse to a global pandemic. Being able to talk with someone about these things can be life-changing.

How do you talk about these issues with The Rising scholars? During our Rising sessions, we ask the young men to talk about how they feel, what they’ve seen and heard. Then we ask: If you were an adult, what would you do? How would you change things? It gives them a chance to talk about what is going on without being judged. Some ask questions, many talk about their fears. The mentors share their experiences, as well. We tell them the most important thing is to make it home each day. If you are stopped by the police, do everything they ask you to do. It is better we pick you up from the police station under the wrong circumstances than to have to identify you at the morgue.

Describe being a mentor in three words. Rewarding, fulfilling, commitment.

Technology Resource Centers

Posted on by Marlow

Seattle School District is launching Temporary Resource Centers to help support PreK-12 students and families with technology access.

Technology support includes:

  • Laptop and SPS device support
  • Hot spots support
  • Support with remote learning software (e.g., Seesaw, Schoology) and other educational resources
  • General technology resource information and support
  • Support with the following translation software:
    • Microsoft translator
    • Talking Points
    • Linguistica
  • Additional English Language instructional support

Technology Resource Center Locations and Times

The following sites are open for families and students for walk-ins and appointments. Students and families can make appointments for the following services by calling Student Tech Line at: 206-252-0100 or email: laptops@seattleschools.org:

Concord International Elementary School
723 S Concord St. Seattle, WA 98108
Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch: 11 – 11:30

Rainier View Elementary School
11650 Beacon Ave. S Seattle, WA 98178
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m
Closed for Lunch 11 – 11:30

Aki Kurose Middle School
3928 S Graham St. Seattle, WA 98118
Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch: 11 – 11:30

Bailey Gatzert Elementary School
1301 E Yesler Way Seattle, WA 98122
Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch: 11 – 11:30

Nathan Hale High School
10750 30th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98125
Entrance is on 110th street near the athletic field. Parking is available on 110th.
Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch: 11 – 11:30

Chief Sealth International High School
2600 SW Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98126
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m
Closed for Lunch 11 – 11:30

Mercer International Middle School
1600 S Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m
Closed for Lunch 11 – 11:30

John Marshall Alternative High
520 NE Ravenna Blvd, Seattle, WA 98115
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Closed for Lunch 11 – 11:30