Winning Futures – Inspiring and preparing youth to succeed through mentoring.

Archive for September, 2010

Tami and her mentor Pam

In Winning Futures, we learned many things from our mentors.  During one of our sessions we worked on interviewing techniques and the importance of having our own personal 30-second elevator pitch.   Honestly, I felt nervous and a little uncomfortable talking about myself as we moved around the room practicing our pitch to all the mentors, and was relieved when the session ended.  Never thinking that I would actually have a chance to use my pitch, it was less than one week later that I applied it in a job interview and got the job! It is all because of Winning Futures.  I walked in, gave the interviewer my 30-second pitch about myself and got the job on the spot!  It was so amazing and I’m very happy about it!  I am so happy I was in this program, it helped me a lot.  After being on the job for only one week, my new boss pulled me aside and told me that I was doing such a great job and that it looked like I would have a future with the company!  Thank you again for teaching us how to be professional in the business world.

Tami is a mentee in our Winning Futures mentoring program.  In each of our mentoring classes, our mentors and mentees use our life skills and goal setting curriculum to build relationships and gain life-long skills. Download the handout for 30 Second Networking activity at http://www.winningfuturesbooks.org/private/index.php  

At the beginning of the school year, set your students up for success.  This will help them kick-off their school year with confidence that they can be successful this year.

• Have them set small, obtainable goals.  These should be short-term (one to two weeks).
• Keep encouraging them to take the steps to reach that goal.
• Ask if they need any resources or help.
• Teach them how to ask for help…many do not know how to.
• Celebrate small successes!

At Winning Futures, we believe that goals need to be written down in order for you to make a true commitment to your goal.  Take time with your students to create a goal journal!

This week, our alternative high school students had the wonderful opportunity to meet Liz Murray and hear her inspiring story of growing up homeless in the Bronx.  At 17 while still homeless, Liz went back to high school, graduated by 19, and earned her degree from Harvard.  Lifetime made a movie about her life, “Homeless to Harvard“.  Liz released her book “Breaking Night” this month, which just made the New York Times Best Sellers List!  Her book can be purchased on online at Amazon.com - click here.

She made our students realize that they can take control of their lives by asking for help and choosing to graduate and going on to college.  Liz also had a dedicated mentor…her teacher Perry.

Liz is touring the USA with Blessings in a Backpack to promote the mission of the charity which is to feed children on the weekends by providing them with a backpack of food every Friday.  Please see their website to bring the program to your community.  www.blessingsinabackpack.org

Thank you Liz for inspiring all of us at Winning Futures!

Liz Murray and Winning Futures Mentee

Youth organizations – What type of programming and activities do you do with youth?