California State University, Stanislaus students from two Criminal Justice Service Learning courses are visiting 10 Turlock school sites to mentor at-risk youth and help them improve their opportunities for success in school.
About 75 students in a pair of CSU Stanislaus fall semester classes, Juvenile Justice and Violence Against Children, are spending time with students throughout the Turlock Unified School District and encouraging them to focus on applying themselves to their educations. The need is significant as more than 50 percent of TUSD students come from families below the poverty level and 30 percent are classified as English as Second Language learners.
CSU Stanislaus students meet with their protégée youngsters each week over a 12-week period through December 11. The University mentors provide a valuable service to listen, encourage, and connect with the younger students to help them overcome obstacles that might otherwise lead to dropping out of school.
University mentors serve as role models for the younger students who can relate to possible common circumstances and struggles, knowing that with encouragement and support the TUSD youngsters can succeed in school and consider purposeful alternatives to their future, such as a college education.
This program is in its fifth year, having developed through the Turlock Against Gangs program. CSU Stanislaus professor Dr. Phyllis Gerstenfeld, Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, worked with Gil Ogden, Director of the Turlock Unified School District’s Office of Student Services to pioneer the program which is currently under the supervision of CSU Stanislaus Criminal Justice lecturer Dr. Tim Helfer.
Ogden acknowledged that the mentor program has made a difference in helping TUSD at-risk students to stay in school and succeed academically. At the end of the semester, the CSU Stanislaus mentors give the TUSD protégées the opportunity to visit and tour the University campus.
Dr. Helfer’s mentor programs will continue in the spring semester of 2010 along with youth mentoring courses taught by fellow CSU Stanislaus Criminal Justice faculty member Dr. Abu Mboka.
About 75 students in a pair of CSU Stanislaus fall semester classes, Juvenile Justice and Violence Against Children, are spending time with students throughout the Turlock Unified School District and encouraging them to focus on applying themselves to their educations. The need is significant as more than 50 percent of TUSD students come from families below the poverty level and 30 percent are classified as English as Second Language learners.
CSU Stanislaus students meet with their protégée youngsters each week over a 12-week period through December 11. The University mentors provide a valuable service to listen, encourage, and connect with the younger students to help them overcome obstacles that might otherwise lead to dropping out of school.
University mentors serve as role models for the younger students who can relate to possible common circumstances and struggles, knowing that with encouragement and support the TUSD youngsters can succeed in school and consider purposeful alternatives to their future, such as a college education.
This program is in its fifth year, having developed through the Turlock Against Gangs program. CSU Stanislaus professor Dr. Phyllis Gerstenfeld, Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice, worked with Gil Ogden, Director of the Turlock Unified School District’s Office of Student Services to pioneer the program which is currently under the supervision of CSU Stanislaus Criminal Justice lecturer Dr. Tim Helfer.
Ogden acknowledged that the mentor program has made a difference in helping TUSD at-risk students to stay in school and succeed academically. At the end of the semester, the CSU Stanislaus mentors give the TUSD protégées the opportunity to visit and tour the University campus.
Dr. Helfer’s mentor programs will continue in the spring semester of 2010 along with youth mentoring courses taught by fellow CSU Stanislaus Criminal Justice faculty member Dr. Abu Mboka.