Mentoring is much more than just helping with homework and participating in enrichment activities. It is about building a bond between mentor and mentee — a bond of trust and genuine appreciation — whether spoken or displayed in actions.

That was more than apparent last Wednesday afternoon at Bucknell Elementary School in Mount Vernon District. That is where more than 50 West Potomac High School students give an hour and a half of their time after school each week to aid a like number of elementary school students with homework and gain an appreciation of other academic and social activities.

Known as the Fairfax County Public Schools MentorWorks program, it has proven so successful that those participating, mentors and mentees, have more than doubled since last year, according to Carrie E. Jones, social worker, WPHS, and Bethany Koszelak, school psychologist, Bucknell Elementary, who jointly oversee the local program.



THIS MONTH WPHS was named Mentoring Partner of the Month and in January, one of the local program's mentors, Will Kreger, a senior at WPHS, was named Mentor of the Month. "This is a very rewarding experience for me," Kreger said.

"Miss Jones asked me to get involved last year after I was recommended by my football and basketball coaches. It's not only about the homework. We talk about what the mentee has done in the last week and try to answer any questions they might have about anything," Kreger said sitting with his present mentee Elijah Johnson.

"These mentors are all very positive role models for these younger students. The program has grown primarily through word of mouth among the high school students," Koszelak said.

"The good thing about this particular mentoring program is that it's accessible to all high school students. They can actually walk from West Potomac to Bucknell. They aren't dependent on transportation," Jones said.

Now in its third year, the program is funded solely through donations. Some funds come through the local Parent/Teacher organization and others come from private donors. The only costs are for snacks and craft supplies. Mentees are selected by the elementary school teachers.

"This is my first year as a mentor. We had to select a senior project and mine is a study of the impact of poverty on education," said Hannah Leveridge a WPHS senior.

"I really enjoy coming here every Wednesday. It's as rewarding for me as it is for the elementary school kids," she said. Next year Leveridge hopes to be enrolled at the University of Alabama studying political science with an emphasis on pre-law.

David Gaylord and Daniel Elih are also both first year mentors. "It's a lot of fun and it gets better every week," Gaylord said. "It feels good knowing I'm helping these kids improve," Elih added.



THAT FEELING goes equally for the mentees. "I'm really getting a lot out of this program. It allows me to finish my homework and meet new mentors," said Shahyeim Wellman, a Bucknell sixth grader who has participated in the mentoring program since it started.

"We are one of the more established schools in this program. It all got started by an administrative intern," said Jones who has worked in the school system for the past six years and has served as the coordinator for the WPHS/BES program for the past two years.

During the homework portion each week three mentors and three mentees sits around a table and work together. Then it's either off to the library or the gym or just engaging in fun activities such as drawing or playing a game such as checkers.