KIDS HOPE USA at St John in the Wilderness

Mentoring at-risk elementary students with year-long, one-on-one mentoring builds self-esteem, provides the basis for all other learning.

Benefits of one-on-one mentoring:

* Children learn that at least one adult cares enough about them to faithfully talk with them each week

* Knowing that the mentor cares deeply about them builds strong self-esteem

* Strong self-esteem relieves anxiety and depression, allowing the child to focus on school work

* Better school results improves self-esteem

* Better self-esteem greatly improves relationships with peers, teachers, parents and friends

* Improved relationships make school and life more fun

* More fun makes all of life much more enjoyable

How to Dramatically Improve the Lives of At-Risk Children

Most schools have many children who need help. There are many reasons, like income problems, no time with mother or father, and other reasons that break your heart to hear. Unless something changes, many will drop out of school as soon as they can. While others will complete school, both groups may work at the lowest-paying jobs for the rest of their lives.

Mentors from St John in the Wilderness are beginning their fourth year with students at O. H. Anderson Elementary School in Mahtomedi. We currently work with 25 at-risk students from a list of referrals by teachers. There are many more students than we have mentors to help.

KIDS HOPE USA is a national program mentoring almost 10,000 children with over 500 church-school partnerships in 31 states. It helps churches partner with local schools. KIDS HOPE USA provides training and ongoing consulting to help mentors help at-risk children. Each church finds their own funding and provides services at no cost to the school.

At O. H. Anderson, teachers, staff, and parents highly praise our program. Because of the dramatic changes in these children, other schools are asking how to implement a program of their own.

Please consider a donation of $100 or more to support our activities for this school year; any amount will help. More information about our program is at www.stjohnwilderness.org/kidshope.htm . You may also learn more about the national program at www.kidshopeusa.org . The Episcopal Church of St John in the Wilderness is a church of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota.