School-Based Mentoring in Underserved Rural School Districts

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the 'Recovery Act'). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention made awards to support local organizations that develop, implement, or expand local mentoring programs leading to measurable, positive outcomes for at-risk youth. This program furthers the Department's mission by enhancing the capacity of local mentoring programs to develop and implement mentoring strategies to reduce juvenile delinquency and prevent violence.

Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota's Rural Mentor Program provides mentoring services for at-risk K-12 students in ten rural school districts in the areas surrounding the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The program will maintain and expand essential mentoring services for underserved areas that would not otherwise have sufficient funding. The Rural Mentor Program is a partnership between Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, a private non-profit mental health organization, and ten rural public school districts in Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties. The proposed project will serve approximately 415 students over the four-year project period. The project goal is to reduce juvenile offenses and school failure among at-risk K-12 students in ten rural South Dakota school districts. The objectives include expanding the Rural Mentor Program, improving its effectiveness through evidence-based practices, and strengthening community partnerships and collaborations. The evaluation plan, developed by the University of South Dakota Government Research Bureau, addresses outcomes for students, mentors, schools, and external partnerships.

This grant award will retain three jobs, thus the project achieves the Recovery Act objective of promoting economic recovery by preserving or creating jobs. CA/NCF