MENTOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS THIS YEAR!

MIT’s Middle School Mentoring Program offers MIT students the opportunity to mentor underserved middle school students who are interested in exploring their passion for science, technology, engineering and math.  If you choose to volunteer as a mentor, you will be paired with a local public school student who has recently completed one of two intensive summer programs run through the MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs: the MIT STEM Program or the MIT Science of Baseball Program.  During the school year, the Middle School Mentoring Program enables these students to stay focused on academic achievement through the relationships they develop with their MIT mentors.  The program is produced by the Office of Engineering Outreach Programs, which also directs the MITES Program and SEED Academy.

WHAT IT TAKES
MIT mentors are as diverse a group as our middle school students, which is why they are so successful –– they are biologists and baseball players; love diving and DDR; and are as likely to be well-versed on Analytical Chemistry as the plot lines on CSI.  What our mentors share is an interest in supporting youth and a love of math, science and technology,

We are looking for MIT undergraduate and graduate student mentors who can commit to spending 8 hours a month to support a middle school student.  In addition to contacting them weekly for informal activities, like reviewing homework, playing basketball, trading emails or catching a movie, we bring all of the mentors and middle school students together for a monthly Saturday afternoon brunch event that features a keynote speaker or special activity to gets their imaginations going . . . and ours. 

This year’s brunches will be held on the following Saturdays, usually from 11:00am to 2:00pm: October 4th, November 1st, December 6th, February 7th, March 7th,  April 4th, and May 2nd. Mentors should plan to attend all of these events.  Additionally, we ask that you attend one of our two training sessions, which will be held on October 1st and 2nd from 6pm to 8pm.

WHERE TO BEGIN
Interested? Know other MIT students in your department, club or organization who might be interested?  Simply complete an application and return it to our office (1-123) by September 19.  Applications are available for downloading here.