How does E-Mentoring select its schools?

  • AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) schools– The Dallas ISD and the E-Mentoring Committee work together during the summer to select the high schools who will participate in E-Mentoring program the following year.  Schools that are eligible to be considered must participate in the AVID program and are selected based on interest, computer access and need.  Every attempt is made to bring back schools that participated in the prior year.
  • EIF (Education is Freedom) schools- In addition to the selected AVID high schools, E-Mentoring has also been implemented in several Dallas ISD high schools that participate in the Education is Freedom program.

What is AVID?

  • Students who participate in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (“AVID”) initiative typically will be the first in their families to attend college and many are from low-income or minority families.  The partnership between the DAYL, DBA and the Dallas ISD provides a unique way to motivate these students and show them that Dallas professionals care about them and want to help them fulfill their dreams.  We support AVID in their work to advance students scholastically and socially to ensure they can meet the demands of college when they get there. http://www.avid.org/intro.html

What is EIF?

  • Education is Freedom Dallas (“EIF”) is a local, comprehensive college readiness school-based program that addresses the lack of educational support, mentoring, and college-going orientation among low-income youth in the Dallas ISD.  The program aims to prevent low-income students from dropping out of high school, help students prepare for college during middle school and high school, assist with the navigation of the college entrance and financial aid processes, equip students with skills needed to complete college and help students leverage private and public scholarship funds to pay for college.  http://www.educationisfreedom.com/

How am I assigned a student?

  • Returning mentors and students are generally matched back together unless either asks to be reassigned.  Remaining mentor/student matches are made based on gender, with an emphasis on attempting to assign employees of firms/corporations to students at the same school so mentors can more easily coordinate their efforts if they choose to do so.

Can I meet my student?

  • E-Mentoring provides structured opportunities for mentors and students to meet during the school year, in addition to our End of Year Banquets.  You may visit with your student ON CAMPUS for lunch or at an ON CAMPUS event, but both mentor AND student MUST have permission from the student’s teacher ahead of time.  Absolutely no unannounced school visits, telephone contact, or personal contact off campus is allowed. 

Do I have to attend the mentor/student meetings?

  • No.  E-Mentoring is an e-mail program and you are not required to attend any event.  Most mentors do find it makes the mentor/student relationship easier once they have met their student.  The events are short (approximately 1 hour) and are always guided by the teacher and School Coordinator.

What if my student isn’t e-mailing me?

  • If you are not receiving regular e-mails from your student, notify your School Coordinator right away.  Your School Coordinator is in close contact with your student’s teacher and will work with them to determine the problem.  If the communication issue cannot be resolved, you will be assigned to a new student.

What if I receive an e-mail from my student that causes me concern?

  • If you receive an e-mail from your student on an issue of concern – for example, suicide, depression, substance abuse, pregnancy – immediately contact your School Coordinator.  Your School Coordinator knows how to deal with these matters and will work with our contacts at Dallas ISD to handle the issue quickly and in the most confidential manner possible.

What if I receive an e-mail from my student that is inappropriate?

  • Immediately contact your School Coordinator.  Your School Coordinator knows how to deal with these matters and will handle the issue quickly.

Will I be reassigned to my student next year?

  • Yes – if you and your student return, you will be re-matched unless one of you requests a reassignment, the student does not return or does not participate in AVID or Education is Freedom the next year, or in rare situations if the student’s school is not selected to participate the next year.  If you don’t make a connection with your student, or for any reason do not want to be matched to him/her in the future, please advise your School Coordinator prior to August.

What happens during the summer?

  • As a safety precaution for you and your student, the student e-mail addresses are shut down during the summer and no communication between mentor and student is allowed.  Your School Coordinator will advise you as the last day of school approaches so you will have time to say goodbye to your student.
  • If your student is a graduating senior, we encourage you to remain in their life and provide support and encouragement as he/she sets off for college!!

Do I have to complete Dallas ISD’s Volunteer Application every year?

  • Yes.  Anyone volunteering to work with Dallas ISD students must complete the Volunteer Application (background check).  Once you complete the Volunteer Application for the first time, in subsequent years you may complete the Returning Volunteer section, which is much quicker.

What do I email my student about?

  • Almost anything.  The primary purpose of the E-Mentoring relationship is to provide students, who might not otherwise have a source for it, with encouragement, study hints and skills, advice about colleges and college life, help with goals, an adult contact that is not an immediate authority figure, and a view of the doors that education can open.  E-mails should generally be consistent with this goal, but should also build rapport.  It’s an opportunity for you to learn about your students as well.  Some initial topics might include favorite movie, favorite television show, favorite sport, favorite music, or anything else that your student is interested in.  The hardest part is getting them started talking - after that, just listen and be a friend.