A local nonprofit known for pairing high school students with individual adult mentors is trying a different approach at Alta Vista High School: bringing students together with mentors in a small group during the school day.
Mentor Tutor Connection launched the group mentoring program at the Mountain View alternative high school last school year, adapting its traditional one-on-one model to make mentoring more accessible to students who might find an individual relationship with an unfamiliar adult intimidating or difficult to fit into their schedules.
“The official format of group mentoring solved those problems,” said Mela Roberts, MTC’s mentoring program manager.
The program began with about 15 to 18 students and a group of adult mentors who meet with students for activities, workshops and field trips. Students can receive elective class credit for participating.
Alta Vista Principal Suzanne Woolfolk said the idea grew from staff observations that students’ communication and socialization patterns have changed in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff began exploring whether a small-group format could create a more comfortable environment for building relationships.
“What could we do with intentional communication and relationship-building?” Woolfolk recalled.
The answer has included wellness activities such as building Lego flowers, workshops on photography, and field trips to places including Hidden Villa and Filoli. Students have also participated in rock climbing and ropes courses designed to encourage teamwork and taking risks in a supportive environment.
Karen Jones, an MTC board member and mentor who has participated in both one-on-one and group mentoring for the past seven years, said students who initially were reluctant to interact began opening up as they participated in activities together.
On a rock-climbing trip, for example, students who were initially nervous began cheering each other on as they climbed.
“They’re all cheering them on, which was pretty spectacular to watch,” Jones said.
Students have also described the program as a place to develop practical skills and relationships. In anonymous feedback provided to MTC staff, one student said they would recommend the program to a friend because mentors offered “really great life skill advice” while taking students on fun field trips.
Another student said the program was “fun” and helped participants “open up in many ways.”
Roberts said the group format also lets mentors see students interact with one another, giving them a broader perspective than they might have in one-on-one meetings. At the same time, students not formally enrolled in the program can participate in some MTC activities, allowing them to see community adults consistently showing up for students.
After the first year, one encouraging sign for MTC is that students are returning to the program and bringing friends with them, Roberts and Jones said. The group model could also serve as a pathway into traditional one-on-one mentoring for students who develop a particularly strong connection with a mentor.
Woolfolk said that consistency is one of the program’s most important elements.
“It doesn’t take experience, it doesn’t even necessarily take a particular background,” she said. “Mentors are caring, authentic individuals who keep showing up for our kids.”
MTC will have two upcoming events: an open house on September 16 and an online volunteer info session on September 23. For more information, see mentortutorconnection.org.
