Uncommon Friends Foundation to host new peer-to-peer character mentoring program

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nov. 2, 2015 - PRLog -- A community initiative lead by the I Will Mentorship Foundation (IWMF) in collaboration with Uncommon Friends Foundation (http://www.uncommonfriends.org), Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), James Stephens International Academy, Ft. Myers Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and Deva for Good is being launched to build character and close the educational gap of at-risk youth in Lee County.


The launch event to kick off the P2P mentoring program will be held at the Burroughs Home on November 18, 10 a.m. to noon. It will showcase 50 youths in the Dunbar community, scientific demonstrations, and keynote speaker David Dorsey. It will showcase how JROTC cadets are being trained to mentor middle school students at James Stephens International Academy, using Uncommon Friends Foundation’s character curriculum founded in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

This collaboration is primed to enhance the character and 21st century skills of youth, which not only makes them more responsible citizens, but also advances their education, careers and lives. The program is being piloted in Lee County, Florida during the 2015/2016 academic year. Once proven, it will be released for replication by any school throughout the United States as a service learning program that is scalable, impactful and self-sustaining. Through collaboration, we transcend our own limitations to accomplish things much greater than each entity alone could achieve in advancing youth and community.

About the collaborating partners

The IWMF is the first after school science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) resource center for Lee County with a vision to provide all youth, regardless of race, gender or financial means, with the opportunity to achieve their dreams.  With the support of local businesses, government agencies, schools, community, and passionate individuals, this vision for a new landscape of 21st century learning in Lee County can be achieved. For more information on this event, contact Gina Frazier at 239-540-0388 or at gfrazier@iwmf2.org.

The US Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) is a program offered to high schools that teaches students character education, student achievement, wellness, leadership, and diversity.  It is a cooperative effort between the Army and the high schools to produce successful students and citizens, while fostering in each school a more constructive and disciplined learning environment.

James Stephens International Academy (JSIA), a Title I School established in 2009, is a staple in the Fort Myers community. JSIA is unique in that it is one of the few K-8 schools in Lee County educating both elementary and middle school students. This allows the highly qualified staff at JSIA to mold and nurture the young minds in the East Zone of the Lee County School District.

Deva for Good is the community service arm of Deva Industries, with focus on developing collaborations that provide practical experience to enhance education and opportunities for youth.

The Uncommon Friends Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) 3 organization established in 1993, is dedicated to lifelong character building among today’s youth and business leaders. Its mission is to promote character education in schools, business ethics in the workplace, and historic preservation of the Burroughs Home and James Newton Archives. For more information on this and Uncommon Friends Foundation’s character education programs, contact Angela Melvin at angela@uncommonfriends.org.