Posts

With friends like these: Research identifies likely source of teen cyberbullying

Written by Matthew Swayne, futurity.org   Past or present friendship or dating makes cyberbullying much more likely to occur between two teenagers, new research shows. “A common concern regarding cyberbullying is that strangers can attack someone, but here we see evidence that there are significant risks associated with close connections,” says Diane Felmlee, professor of […]

Social media and body issues in youth: Why mentors are well-suited to intervene

Written by Allison Hydzik   Young adults who log onto social media sites frequently throughout the week or spend hours trawling various social feeds during the day may be at greater risk of eating and body image concerns, according to a new study. Gender, specific age, race, and income did not influence the association—all demographic […]

A one-two combo: Mentoring and boxing guiding the next generation

by Michael Minahan, Washington Post About a year after he got out of Jessup [Correctional Institution], Manigan walked into a gym set up at the former Gibbs School off Benning Road. There, he spotted Ragahleak “Peanut” Bartee, 9 years old, in the corner wrapping his hands. “I just looked at him, and I said, ‘There’s […]

A conversation with Dr. Belle Liang: The intersection of positive female youth development and mentoring

Written by Sam Burton Dr. Belle Liang is an Associate Professor in the Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology Department at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. Dr. Liang is a member of the Research and Policy Council of MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership and Advisory Board of the National Cadre of Mentoring Researchers. As a national expert […]

Study aims to fight impact of “Stereotype Threat”

By Max Pienky (Stanford Daily) A recent Stanford study found that the grades of all students in the classroom improve when students at risk of negative stereotypes are protected from these stereotypes. The study, published in the journal “Psychological Science,” sought to decrease students’ experiences of a phenomenon called “stereotype threat.” A stereotype threat exists […]

Two new findings (and a surprise) about working with more challenging mentees

By Jean Rhodes and Elizabeth Raposa In case you missed it, the recent commencement address, delivered by student speaker Donovan Livingston, Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a tour de force. The speech is especially powerful when Donovan recognizes the important role of his mentor. “I was in the 7th grade when […]

Navigating internet risks: Mentors can help show the way

Written by Matt Swayne The online world is full of risky situations for teens, but allowing them to gradually build their own coping strategies may be a better parental strategy than forbidding internet use, according to a team of researchers. The researchers, who monitored web-based diaries of a group of 68 teen internet users during […]

Christiane Amanpour reflects on how riding lessons prepared her for life

Chapter 3 of Matilda Raffa Cuomo’s book: The Person Who Changed My Life, Iranian journalist and television host, Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent for CNN and host of CNN International’s nightly interview program Amanpour reflects on the lessons her strict riding instructor taught her and how those lessons prepared her for life.       […]

Guiding a first generation to college: Where do mentors fit in?

By Tina Rosenberg, New York Times   In the first of two articles addressing the transition of first-generation college students from high school graduation to higher education, New York Times writer Tina Rosenberg highlights some of the issues facing low-income and low-resource students in New York City.   “[Students’] assumptions that [their] only options were […]

The power of many: Why schools are embracing broader formal and informal mentoring networks

Written by Alyza Sebenius, The Atlantic In her job as a “dream director,” Jessica Valoris is tasked with unleashing the potential of disadvantaged students at an inner-city high school in Washington, D.C. Her employer, a New York-based nonprofit called The Future Project, embeds mentors like Valoris in public schools, characterizing her role as a “midwife […]