Absolutely Incredible Kid Day 2010!

This is SMILES 4th year celebrating a very special day called Absolutely Incredible Kid Day. Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® is a national letter-writing campaign where kids receive letters of support, love and encouragement from parents and adults. Since we’re a group of encouraging adults in the lives of young people, it’s very well suited that we partake in this lovely day.

Our Program Facilitators have spread the word about AIKD 2010 and since our programs don't all meet with their mentees on Thursday, March 18th when this day is celebrated, SMILES stretches this holiday out for a week or two to ensure that we all get a chance to write our mentee a special note letting them know how special they are.

Below is a real sample of a letter our Director of Operations, Lynn Poyant, wrote to her mentee.

_______________________________

Dear Destiny,

I’ll bet that you’re a little surprised to be getting a letter from me. Well, I have been thinking about what an incredible young lady you are and I want to let you know how much I enjoy seeing you each week at your school during the SMILES program. It’s the best part of my week!

You’re a great kid. You’re smart, you’re fun to be with, and you have some very special talents, such as playing the violin and dancing. I know that you try hard to have a good attitude and that you care very much about other people (even though you try to hide it, sometimes.)

So, even though it’s not your birthday, or Christmas, it’s ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE KID DAY and I’m glad to have this chance to tell you that I think you’re a Very Special Person and that I’m happy to be your friend.

Peace,

Lynn

Mentors, please comment on how your student reacted to receiving their wonderful letter!!

Kids’ Involvement in Mentoring Programs at School Help Them Control Emotions

The brief news article below really struck a cord with the SMILES staff, because day by day, week by week, month by month WE witness our mentees' behavior improving throughout our school-based mentoring programs. SMILES mentees become better able to express their feelings, emotions and thoughts through the activities that they do with their mentors. In our traditional 4th - 8th grade programs, one of our most popular activities is called "Voting Corners" where we encourage kids and mentors to speak their minds on an array of subjects. "If you don't go to college, you won't be successful." "Should everyone be given a second chance, every time and in every situation?" You'd be VERY surprised what 6th graders have to say about these thought provoking questions!

SMILES gives students a forum to speak their minds in an appropriate and thoughtful manner with their mentor there for support. We are certain this practice carries over to their interactions with their peers, teachers, family and others.

Please read below and comment if you have seen these changes in your mentee!

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A new study initiated by the Researchers at University of Rochester Medical Center has suggested that teaching self control skills like anger management to kids in school using mentoring programs extends a positive effect on their classroom behavior.

"This study suggests that with appropriate guidance from a trained adult, young children are capable of learning a great deal about their emotions and skills for handling their emotions effectively and those skills can have direct, positive benefits for their functioning in school", said Peter Wyman, Ph. D., lead author of the study and associate professor of Psychiatry at the Medical Center.

The study involved 226 students, possessing behavioral or social problems at school, from two different elementary schools.

In addition, the study claims that the children enrolled in a school-run mentoring program showed more capability to handle anger and other emotions compared to others, thereby facing fewer disciplinary referrals.

Apart from posing improvement in almost all the classroom behavior fields, the children were reported to have a 43 percent decrease in mean suspensions in comparison to the others who were not a part of the program."

http://topnews.us/content/212949-kids-involvement-mentoring-programs-school-help-them-control-emotions

Carlos Pacheco SMILES Literacy Program

SMILES is very proud to be working with the Carlos Pacheco Elementary School. Principal Marcia Faucher has opened her doors to our mentors and we've had such fun working with all of the young folks there over the past 4 years! Click on the video below to catch a glimpse of the happening at Carlos Pacheco.