LearnmoreMN Blog

But what can I do?

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Getting more young people on the path to college is good for them and for our state. "But what can I do," you ask? Just about everyone can do something. Here are some examples from the inspirations section of the LearnmoreMN Web site of what individuals, companies and communities are doing.

A group of Deloitte employees take out time from their corporate days to work with Wellstone International High School students as a part of the Achieve! Career and College Initiative. At 17 to 21 years old and with limited English language skills, the Wellstone students welcome the chance to learn about colleges, interviewing, resume writing, and job searching from Deloitte’s experienced professionals. A Deloitte policy of allocating 40 hours a year to volunteer projects bolsters their efforts. Read this story

The City of St. Paul’s Circulator bus provides a simple, but highly effective solution to the problem of connecting children to learning opportunities throughout the neighborhood. Circulator buses provide free rides for young people to libraries, recreation centers, community centers and non-profits. The buses are part of the city's Second Shift initiative. Read this story

Bengo Mrema has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) since 2001. It took him a while to earn the trust of his little brother, but his positive, consistent presence made a difference. Mrema found creative ways to include academics in their meetings and introduced ideas about college and other post-secondary education options. Mrema says his unconditional commitment has paid off. Read the story

What do you do, or what can you imagine doing? We welcome your stories and ideas.

From the Outside In

By Willy Tully, February 2008 Guest Blogger

If it truly takes a village to raise a child, then how in the world do we expect our youth to succeed without a comprehensive approach to education?  Comprehensive…that sounds difficult. It doesn’t have to be.

I work for a large mentoring organization, but I don’t work formally on mentoring — I connect the youth in the program with postsecondary opportunities, placing an emphasis on higher education. As an organization, we strive to provide the highest quality in mentoring to both the youth and adults that come to our door. But the fact of the matter is that anyone can be, and realistically is a mentor in their everyday life. From teachers to preachers to parents, high school counselors to college admissions counselors to custodians, daily interaction with children is an opportunity — an opportunity to impart some amount of knowledge, build confidence, and fulfill the obligation that adults have to invest positively in youth. 

An Investment — Education is the Best
Perhaps we can agree that the greatest method by which an individual might enrich their circumstance is education. Beyond the simple yet hugely important informal stuff that occurs in a mentoring relationship, every mentor should be equipped with the tools to discuss higher education with a child. Collectively we know how to do this, but individually we have a need and an opportunity to learn more.

Each of us plays a role as a mentor. By sharing our experiences with one another, together we can improve our community from the ground up. We can all start by asking, “how can I change a child’s life today, and what do I have to say?”