What I learned from mentoring a 13 year-old middle school student and from a toy solar-powered car

By Oscar E. Padilla
 
Oscar is a mentor in Los Angeles and was paired with Jesus for the fall semester.  As Senior Vice President of Marketing, Oscar leads all aspects of sales marketing for PULPO, Entravision’s fast growing digital media business unit.  Here, Oscar shares some key learnings from his first youth mentoring experience.

______________________________________________________________________
 
I first learned about the Spark program in 2015 when I saw my Chief Marketing Officer walking around our offices every Thursday with a middle school kid. I later learned that our company was a corporate partner for this program, which focuses on matching working professionals with 7th and 8th graders in underserved communities, to undertake a mentoring role for 10 weeks.
 
At the core of the Spark mentorship program is a unique project or initiative you participate in with your student for the duration of the roughly two-month time period. The initial student/mentor matching process helps narrow down what your project will focus on. It took a little longer for my student and I to narrow down our project. After several brainstorming sessions, we selected a solar energy initiative. Because of this student’s love for cars, we found our “aha” moment in the form of a solar-powered car.
 
Getting our car off the ground from “concept” to “production-ready” was a true team effort. This team included my student and my colleague and co-mentor, Jessica Rivera Escobar. Before designing the car, we felt it would be necessary to gain an understanding of solar energy: its benefits, uses, and important facts about this energy source. My student was exposed to some rigorous research efforts, which he did on his own. Then came the blueprint planning stage and the fun in figuring out how we would build it. We did research for every component needed; car body parts, solar panels, electric motor options, and we learned how to put it all together. We also wanted to build a strong brand as part of our project.
 
Building the car was pretty straightforward since we had done the needed research and

had gathered all the parts and tools required to assemble the car. We encountered some “engineering” challenges (see below), but overall we successfully achieved our goal in building a functional toy car in time for our big presentation.
 
The big day was December 8, 2016, and we presented our project at the Bethune Middle School in Los Angeles alongside dozens of other Spark students and mentors. The place was packed with students, teachers, other mentors and parents. My student did exceptionally well. He prepared a poster to explain the benefits of solar energy and how he was inspired to build the car. Although he was a little nervous at the beginning of his presentation, by the sixth presentation he was a total pro—confident, eloquent, and speaking knowledgeably on all aspects of his project. It was an extremely satisfying and proud moment to see how my student made noticeable progress, transforming from a shy and quiet student to a more assertive and self-reliant one in just a few weeks. That is precisely what the Spark program is all about.
 
Below are five important lessons I learned from the Spark mentoring program:
 

1. Great ideas come organically. We had a number of ideas we contemplated for this project, but the inspiration for the solar car came to our student from a light art piece sitting on my desk. While I was busy researching options and overthinking what we could do, our student was observing the surrounding environment to come up with an idea for a project that was simple to execute but at the same time would stand out as unique and engaging.
2. Letting go of control goes a long way. While I was trying to follow the program to the letter and comply with a more rigid structure, I quickly learned this was not going to be the best approach. My co-worker, Jessica, took a more conversational and natural tone with our student, and it helped him open up and interact with us in a positive way.
   
   
3. Now matter how well you plan, you’re going to have setbacks. It was fortunate that our car didn’t actually make it into a full market production. Once we had fully assembled the car, we found two significant flaws. First, our car only traveled in reverse! This was easily fixed, but the bigger problem was that our car was too heavy to move due to the low voltage engine and solar power system we assembled. As I explained to our student, we took a proof-of-concept approach in which future iterations would allow for perfection. This rapid development approach provided a solid understanding of the basics of this technology and the value of solar power.
   
4. Don’t underestimate what you can learn from a 13 year-old. It became apparent in working with my student that this process was a two-way learning experience. In working together, I felt he was influencing me as much or more as I was influencing him as the weeks went by. He had an innate curiosity that was contagious, and his comments and observations continually helped to further advance our project. At the end of the program, I was truly looking forward to talking more about my experience in working with him and bragging about our project.
   
   
5. Project-based mentoring is extremely powerful. Spark is unique from other mentoring programs in both its approach and in the age group of the students. Spark focuses on working with 7th and 8th graders that are at an exceedingly susceptible age for learning. The program places students in control of projects that they see through to fruition. The project approach exposes students to many different facets of real life experiences such as planning an event, building a model, creating a business plan or creating a new technology. All of these initiatives have one thing in common: the opportunity to learn by doing.

The Spark program is indeed a life-changing program for youth and for the mentors that decide to get involved in their communities and make a difference. I highly recommend this experience for other corporate leaders and professionals that are willing to take the time to change a life or two. It is an amazing experience for everyone involved.
 
To read original version of article published in linked, click here.

Celebrate Middle Level Education in March

By Dru Tomlin, PhD, Director of Middle Level Services
@DruTomlin_AMLE

As we prepare to declare the start of spring, March is also Middle Level Education Month. And while every month is critical in the middle grades, March has been set aside as a time when we celebrate the power and the potential of the young adolescent and shine a warm light on those who help improve their educational lives.  

You can explore the rich resources online at the Association for Middle Level Education’s website at www.amle.org/mlem, but also consider starting the celebration by giving thought to an important but sometimes neglected “R” in education: Remembrance.  For many of us, early adolescence was a time mixed with challenge and triumph, friendship and frustration, humor and hurt, love and loathing—a time when we needed and craved support and caring to meet our unique (and ever-evolving) needs.  Thus, remembering what we were like as kids between the ages of 10 and 15 is one of the most important parts of Middle Level Education Month.  To serve young adolescents more effectively, take time in March to think back to those times.  Who helped you grow as a learner and as a person? And how are we celebrating and supporting students in our schools, businesses, homes, service agencies, and communities today?

In addition to remembering your own early adolescence, Middle Level Education Month is a time to recognize people who work with this age group every day.  Everyone who understands and cares for young adolescents is a middle level educator: teachers, mentors, school administrators, community and business leaders, college partners, families and service providers.  March is a time to shine the spotlight on anyone who improves the educational lives of children ages 10-15.

One of the 16 characteristics in This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents states that an effective middle grades program is propelled by those who “value young adolescents and are prepared to teach them” (p. 15).  In the case of teachers, for instance, they are not only masters of their respective content areas (i.e., math, reading, science, music, social studies), but they are masterfully aware that their students are simultaneously achieving in multiple areas—physically, cognitively, socially, ethically, psychologically, morally and more!  And those who serve through their communities, businesses and service agencies are committed to not only the wellness of their own organizations, but they are equally committed to the wellness and development of young adolescents.  With that awareness and commitment, all middle level educators live three critical truths every day that need to be celebrated:

1. Middle level educators understand that academic gains happen when we attend to students’ other achievement areas.  People who work with young adolescents support their growth through movement, activity, engagement and group collaboration because young adolescents have physical and social needs that must be met in their daily educational lives.  No matter where, when, or from whom young adolescents learn, they need people who understand the truth that “the most successful learning strategies are ones that involve each student personally” (This We Believe, p. 16).
2. Middle level educators also live the daily reality of the adage, “Students care to learn when they learn that we care.” We need to shine a light on community service providers and business partners who realize that the first critical connection with a young adolescent is through the heart.  Similarly, we need to celebrate teachers and leaders in the middle grades as pedagogical artists who know not only how to create great lesson plans and clear master schedules, but also know how to sustain great relationships built on care, trust and compassion.  We help students blossom when we illuminate and practice “qualities of heart and mind” that “make a positive difference in the life of every young adolescent” (p. 15).
3. Middle level educators know that young adolescents add and bring value to the educational conversation.  Contrary to the belief of some people, young adolescents are not aimless, contrary “tweens” who are devoid of direction.  Those who work with these children every day see them differently.  Through their daily interactions, middle level educators see young adolescents as blossoming leaders, debaters, policymakers, service providers, artists, scientists, explorers and so much more.  They see in every young adolescent the glimmering power and vital potential of a life evolving.  And they know that each student deserves learning that nurtures and grows that potential—throughout March and every month of the year.

So as you start to feel the warmth of spring and see the sun linger longer in the March sky, join AMLE as we take time to acknowledge everyone who supports and improves the educational lives of children ages 10 to 15 years old.  Remember your own adolescence.  Recognize what makes young adolescents unique.  Support and celebrate our middle grades students!

_______________________________________________________________________

Dru Tomlin, Ph.D., is director of middle level services for the Association for Middle Level Education (www.amle.org).

Reference

National Middle School Association [now AMLE]. (2010). This we believe: Keys to educating young adolescents. Westerville, OH: Author.  www.amle.org/twb

The Role of Mentoring in the ‘Middle School to High School Transition’

Author: Meha Davé, Director of Program Innovation for Spark

Middle school, as most teachers and parents (and almost anyone!) would agree, can be a difficult time for most students. The brain is in a constant state of development, which makes social, personal and academic transitions challenging. Studies show that grappling with these challenges during this critical time can lead to disengagement and school drop-out during the transition to high school. Consider these statistics:

• Between 60-70% of US students become chronically disengaged from school during 7th or 8th grade[1] 
• 68% of students who drop out of school do so in 9^th grade, or after repeating 9^th grade[2]

Maybe most importantly, the biggest predictor of on-time graduation is if a student is on track during his or her freshman year in high school. These findings underscore what we believe at Spark: supporting underserved students in the middle grades is crucial to bolstering engagement, success and increasing graduation rates.

I recently had the chance to explain how Spark’s mentoring model is doing just this at the

National Mentoring Summit, an incredible opportunity to connect with mentoring colleagues and share best practices! It was founded and convened by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, and is the signature event for the mentoring field that brings together approximately 1,000 top researchers, policy makers, practitioners, the network of affiliate Mentoring Partnerships, corporate partners and many other national youth-serving organizations. 

Held in Washington, D.C., the theme of this conference was “Connection, Growth, and Opportunity,” and I was proud to demonstrate Spark’s commitment to these qualities. Through one-to-one mentorships, which pair underserved students with industry professionals, Spark provides a personal connection with a mentor, a tailor-made space for personal and professional growth for students and mentors, and most importantly an opportunity for engagement in an area of personal interest which may have previously seemed out of reach.

Take Andrew for example, a current high school senior, who participated in Spark in

seventh grade. Andrew expressed an interest in drawing, and was paired with a Spark mentor at a Los Angeles architectural firm. Andrew honed his professional and artistic skills in a real-world apprenticeship and felt more prepared for high school as a result. He was just accepted early admission to Brown University and hopes to become an architect. Andrew’s 10-week apprenticeship gave him skills and confidence to better transition from middle school to high school, and his connection with his mentor endures to this day.

Through short and long-term evaluation of Spark participants, we see that Spark students develop the academic mindsets, social emotional and academic skills that lead to improvements in their school performance. We’ve seen that more than 70% of our students have improved their performance in school.

Here are some key factors we attribute to our success, and suggestions for other mentoring programs serving students in the middle grades:

•  Listen to the mentee to gain an understanding of how to tailor their mentorship experience
• Apply mentee areas of interest to project-based, hands-on learning
• Educate mentors about the “middle school mind” and successful strategies for working with this age group 
• Structure mentor and mentee meetings around skill-building activities
• Use the present to explore the future, including youth aspirations around future education and career goals 

Join Spark as we continue to make progress for middle school students and mentors. To become involved as a mentor or supporter, apply here.

---

[1] Source: Everyone Graduates Center

[2] www.sparkprogram.org

Celebrating 10 years of apprenticeships and planning for many more

Throughout my time with Spark - first as a supporter and donor, and now as CEO and a

former mentor - it has been a truly amazing experience to watch Spark grow. Since its establishment in 2004 and its first program launch in 2005, Spark has demonstrated a trend of progress and growth to reach more students, engage more mentors and partner with more schools and companies nationwide. 

We began with a partnership with one school; we paired 11 students with mentors in Redwood City, CA. Today, we are partnered with nearly 30 schools. We are serving more than 1,000 students this year – our largest annual student cohort ever – which means we will have reached more than 4,500 students cumulatively by the end of our tenth year.

This service is only possible with the support of donors and funders who believe in Spark’s impact and value.  In 2005, Spark received its first gift of $10,000 from the Peninsula Community Foundation (now known as the Silicon Valley Community Foundation). In 2008, the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation provided us with $300,000 to engage in our early development phase. And from 2007 to today, the Peery Foundation, Spark’s largest historical funder, provided $750,000, which was fundamental to our replicating across four major metropolitan regions.

To date, Spark has exceeded $3.5 million in funds raised from many great individual, foundation and corporate supporters. That momentum has lead to Spark most recently being awarded a slate of new and big funding commitments over the last 18 months from notable national funders, including $1.2 million from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to support the development and launch of our alumni programming that supports our students transition into high school; $650,000 from the Brin-Wojcicki Foundation for capacity-building, strategic planning and local program implementation; $240,000 from the All Points North Foundation for public policy work and our Spark Online Institute for teachers; and $100,000 from the Rockefeller Foundation for general operating support.

In just 10 years, we have not only grown, we have improved by tailoring our program to the needs of students and educators in the middle grades, as well as mentors. The institution of “Spark Skills” like teamwork, time management and goal setting helps students build capacities for success.  The development of Spark Online provides on-demand resources and training to mentors and educators. Data-sharing partnerships with school districts mean we can accurately measure our short- and long-term impact. Yet, I believe we have barely scratched the surface of what Spark can do for the thousands of students who can benefit from caring mentors, workplace apprenticeships and targeted skill-building.

This is only the beginning. While we expand our reach to record-setting numbers, this year we are also embarking on our next organizational strategic plan, mapping growth along with quality and sustainability. We imagine a time when mentoring and career exposure are part of the middle school experience for all students - so that young adults like Jonathan continue to feel that they get a, “head start in life.” And working professionals like Bruce continue to have the opportunity to give back during the workday and report that mentoring with Spark is, “one of the most enjoyable projects I've done in recent memory.”

Though these ideas are inspiring and motivating, we remember now - after 10 years of pairing students with mentors in engaging apprenticeships - that the work spearheaded by Spark’s talented staff everyday is all about helping today’s youth prepare for successful futures. 

Thank you for your support, and I’ll be eager for us together to continue this journey with Spark!