The Project MALES Student Mentoring Program is off to a great start in the 2017-18 academic year. For the fourth year in a row, Project MALES is partnering with the Austin Independent School District (AISD) and mentoring in twelve sites. We are at the following middle schools: Webb Early College Prep, Martin Middle School, Mendez Middle School, and Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy. In addition, we are at the following high schools: Travis Early College High School (ECHS), Lanier High School, and Reagan ECHS, and Lyndon B. Johnson ECHS in Austin ISD. This year we have also added Burnet Middle School and Eastside Memorial High School as two of our new mentoring sites, within the AISD. Additionally, this semester we have expanded our mentoring services to Manor Middle School, in the Manor Independent School District (MISD) and to KIPP Austin Brave High School, in the KIPP Austin Public Schools system. Our curriculum will focus on the themes of Brotherhood, Leadership, College and Career Readiness, and Health and Wellness, All program activities center on these pillars that anchor our mentoring initiatives with boys and men of color.
Our Mentoring Site Coordinators Enrique Aguayo, Rodrigo Aguayo, Edgar Fidel Lopez, Jorge Rodriguez, Armando Tellez, and Danielle Marie Zaragoza, are each assigned two sites to lead along with a team of UT undergraduate student mentors whom conduct our weekly mentoring sessions. Our UT undergraduate student mentors are trained in a two credit service-learning course concurrent with placement in a school site. In the next few weeks, we will spotlight our schools and the PM team who lead our group and one-on-one mentoring activities at each site. This week we are spotlighting Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy and Lyndon B. Johnson High School.
Site: Gus Garcia Young Men’s Leadership Academy
Time: Friday @ 12:00-12:30pm
Site Contact: Mrs. Chavez
Mentoring Site Coordinator: Armando Tellez
Mentors: Joel Carmona (ULN Intern), Brittany Duhart (Mentor), Irving Medina (ULN Intern), Angel Ortiz (Work-Study), Marquel Rivera (ULN Intern), Abby Sanchez (ULN Intern), Jesus Palacios (ULN Intern),
Activity For The Week: Goal Setting and Reaching. The objective of this activity is two-fold: (1) for the students to recognize and understand that its a community effort for a individual to reach ones goals in life, (2) and that we should not be afraid to ask and rely on help from others while striving for our goals.
Site: Lyndon B. Johnson High School
Time: Wednesday @ 11:30am-12:45pm
Site Contact: Mrs. Gonzalez
Mentoring Site Coordinator: Armando Tellez
Mentors: Gedeon Kossia (ULN Intern), Irving Medina (ULN Intern), Abby Sanchez (ULN Intern), Oscar Zamora (ULN Intern).
Activity For The Week: Toilet Paper Activity. The objective the activity is for students to write down any problems on pieces toilet paper they wish can be flushed away. After the students share, we have a discussion on the similarities and differences we have and different ways to approach such situations we each throw the pieces of toilet paper into the trashcan.
