For kids growing up in Durham's West End neighborhood, just graduating from high school can be a daunting challenge. Going to college, then, can often seem like an impossible dream.
But that dream will become a reality for the first six graduates of Partners for Youth--a Duke-sponsored mentoring program that guides local teenagers by providing business leaders, teachers and Duke students as role models.
As the program's inaugural class of students stood before about 40 friends and family Saturday at the West End Teen Center, they were lauded as bright spots in Durham's future.
"They learned a lot about how to better themselves, find a job, manage their money and really grow," said Caree McLean, the proud mother of recent high school and Partners for Youth graduate Tamecia McLean.
Like many parents in the West End neighborhood, McLean was concerned about her daughter's future, given the area's low graduation rates.
These concerns were the driving force behind Partners for Youth, created in 1998 as part of the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership Initiative. The recent graduates--all of whom will continue their education next year--testified Saturday to the difference the experience has made in their lives.
"It's been really great for keeping a lot of kids off the streets and focused on the right track," Ta'lisa Little said.
As a participant in the program, Little had three different mentors. She likened her Duke undergraduate tutor to a "sister and a sweetheart," someone she could take trips with or just go to for advice. Little's fondest memory was a weekend trip in the spring to Washington, D.C. when she and the other students toured the Capitol and met Rep. David Price, D-N.C.
Little's community and high school mentors helped her with perhaps the most challenging part of her senior year--looking at colleges. They read applications, helped with financial aid forms and prepared her for the SAT, she said. Little will attend North Carolina Central University in the fall.
Beyond helping students meet their academic challenges, Partners for Youth emphasizes personal growth. Mentors make themselves available for help with anything, including advice on relationships and family.
"You could be very open with them, tell them what's on your mind. They were just like a friend," participant Jennifer Crawford said. "You learn respect, and to appreciate a lot of things other people take for granted. It really helps you to grow."
For mentor Thomas Breeze, finding common ground was essential to making a difference. "We had a lot of the same interests going in, like we both practice the same martial art, and that made things a lot easier," Breeze said.
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