Mentoring Emerging Needs of Talbot Students

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The Talbot County Family Connection will implement the Mentoring the Emerging Needs of Talbot Students (MENTS) program. The plan is focused on identifying students with similar needs and offering them mentoring opportunities in 'clusters.' Clusters will include students that are in danger of academic failure, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, and delinquency in grades 6-12. The program will support these students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 to 6:30PM, and the 3rd Saturday of each month from 8am-12pm. The students will be offered financial literacy, digital media (writing, editing, and producing) and computer technology support intertwined with a mentoring program to address self-confidence, social success, and academics.

The objectives for this project include: (1) MENTS will provide cluster mentoring for 150 high risk students in grades 6-12; (2) Decrease disciplinary suspension of the students by 10%; and (3) Provide 150 mentees' the experience of new creative activities through digital media, finance and technology.

NCA/NCF