For some of the children that Communities In Schools of North Texas serve, a positive adult role model is not always present. Mentors play the crucial role of being that caring adult. Consistently meeting with a student for as little as one hour a week can make the difference between failure and academic success. Below are some resources to help you enhance your role as an effective mentor.

The Search Institute
The Search Institute website has information on how adults can build assets in our youth to assist them in being successful in school and strengthen substance abuse prevention. The Corporation for National & Community Service

LEARNS
This web site provides free downloadable resources, innovative activities, and practical tips and strategies for literacy, mentoring, and tutor programs. The site also includes a web-based Tutor training for those working with Elementary literacy.

ED Pubs-US Department of Education
This site houses a clearinghouse of free resources that anyone can order from on Educational related topics, from teaching reading to preschoolers, to the No Child Left Behind Act, to helping children become responsible citizens.

What's Hot - Top Mentor Publication
A list of the most valuable, published works on mentoring. Updated regularly. Author, publisher e-mail or contact addresses provided along with direct links to gain reviews or purchase online.

Leadership Development Services
One of the top authors of mentoring books, Dr. Lois Zachary, is the principal of this organization, which in addition to helping organizations establish mentoring programs also offers an e-mail "Ask a Mentor" service and monthly tips on mentoring.

TRACK-TAKS Readiness and Core Knowledge
Free, online college readiness program. In TRACK you’ll find diagnostics to measure understanding of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) objectives, and a library of learning tutorials to help students master those objectives. Hundreds of thousands of students in Texas have used TRACK since it was first offered in February 2004!

Student Visit Journal
We often go through life at such a pace that we forget to reflect on crucial moments. As a mentor, the learning that takes place is key to developing a relationship and earning trust. Each time that you remember a specific detail about your mentee, and follow-up with a
question at your next meeting, you make a significant statement about your interest in that child.

If you have any questions on becoming a mentor, please call 972-436-6377. You can also complete an online volunteer application.