University of New England

UNE Students Mentor 100 Local Children in Program's 2nd Year of Operation

This fall semester 34 University of New England students served as mentors to nearly 100 local children providing academic, emotional, and social support in one-on-one and group settings.

The UNE College Community Mentoring Program (CCMP) is a volunteer mentoring program that recruits and trains UNE students to mentor children grades K-8 at area schools and after-school programs. CCMP, an extension of the UNE Citizenship Service Learning Center, began in the fall of 2003 and has now completed its third successful academic semester.

Current mentoring sites of CCMP include the Northern York County YMCA 21 Club, Consolidated School of Kennebunkport, Alternative Education Program of Biddeford Middle School (BMS), BMS Civil Rights Team, and BMS Homework Club. In the spring of 2005, CCMP will be expanding its mentoring opportunities to Crossroads Youth Center of Saco and Lincoln Middle School Project SAFE and SMART of Portland.

"CCMP is proud to provide exciting and rewarding service learning opportunities beneficial to UNE students, local children, and the schools and organizations of our community," said program coordinator Lisa Streit, AmeriCorps*VISTA.

Fall 2004 mentors were: Melissa Ansara '05, Laura Baxter '05, Renee Bissonnette '08, Amanda Boetsch '06, Corinne Bonica '08, Heather Bouchard '05, Heather Bradford '05, Jen Brown '08, Erin Doherty '05, Michaela Doughty '05, Katherine Emert '06, Amanda Fenner '08, Danielle Ferrer '05, Meredith Geraghty '06, Joshua Gillman '05, Denise Giuvelis '08, Caitlin Glancy '05, Courtney Hanscom '07, Kristen James '07, Erin Kenney '06, Emily Malanchuk '04, Kelly McLain '08, Shannon Mercier '05, Sarah Meyer '07, Caitlin Olver '07, Annie Rice '06, Laura Roach '05, Teresa Ruiz, '06, Amy Schallert '06, Jessi Staley '08, Amanda Staples '05, Danielle Wheaton '05, Jodi Wilkinson '05, and Alicia Williams '05.

For further information about CCMP, visit the CCMP website or contact Lisa Streit, AmeriCorps*VISTA, at (207) 283-0170, extension 2294.

(Press release issued January 21, 2005)