Making a Difference in the Life of a Student
As a teen, Felicia Kline recalls mentoring her classmates through a program called Upward Bound, which encourages underprivileged students to prepare for college. “If not for Upward Bound, I wouldn’t have known about scholarships — and I got a full ride through Upward Bound,” she said. “It behooves me to pay it forward. It’s our responsibility to reach back and help those who need it because we all received help in some form.”
That gratitude is what motivates Felicia to volunteer as a mentor to an eighth-grade girl at McClintock Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Felicia volunteers through Communities in Schools’ Success Coach Program in which mentors build relationships with students who empower them to succeed inside and outside the classroom.
Success Coach’s emphasis on measuring the impact of student-mentor relationships appeals to Felicia — and she has seen a drastic improvement in her student’s grades as well as her general outlook. “You’re not only meeting the need of helping the student pass a test or class, but you’re meeting the needs of students holistically,” Felicia explained.
Felicia has built a trusting relationship with her mentee not only by helping with school work but also by playing games and just spending time together talking. The girl now talks with Felicia about issues she faces with her friends and family — important factors, especially for a teenager.
Felicia’s strong impact recently landed her a nomination for the annual “Mentor of the Year” award by the Mayor’s Mentoring Alliance. The MMA is a special youth program run by the mayor of Charlotte that helps to educate organizations and mentors about best practices for mentoring, ignite impactful mentor-mentee relationships and connect the city’s mentoring community.
“I appreciate the Fed allowing me the opportunity to serve, whether it’s the 16 hours of volunteer time or being flexible with my own time so I can meet with my mentee,” Felicia said. “Every single one of us has some focus we’re passionate about outside the Fed. Every person can find something they can do to make a difference.”