The GRIP Mentoring Story

GRIP has been a part of the YSS community as well as the Boone and Story County communities for just around 13 years. The GRIP Mentoring began in 1999 as a part of Youth and Shelter Services, Inc. in Ames, Iowa. We serve 8 school districts in Boone and Story Counties. The program serves over 350 matches a year! As we make matches throughout the year our numbers grow until March or April when we stop making matches for the year.

Our program goals are:

• The creation of positive mentor/student partnerships
• The improvement in academic performance
• Improvement of self-esteem.
• AND a mentor for every child who needs or wants a mentor

Our mentors are high school and college students and adults recruited from the community.

Matches are based on individual strengths, are paired by gender and a mutual commitment to a long-term friendship between the mentor and mentee.

According to our teacher surveys, students with a GRIP mentor showed significant improvement in academic performance and classroom behavior & attitude. The mentees also feel that having a mentor resulted in improved grades, better relationships at home and with friends, and greater interest in school and learning. So not only do the teachers see the changes, the kids feel them and are more self confident and academically inclined!

We love comments and questions, so feel free to post below or check out our website at www.yss.ames.ia.us/en/programs/grip_mentoring