A little below the opening numbers they were hoping for, but expecting more to join, Ponoka Youth Centre’s Rogers Raising the Grade program is under way following a mentor orientation session Wednesday, Sept. 17.
Rogers Raising the Grade came to Ponoka mid-August when the construction of Youth Centre’s computer lab was completed. Targeting students in grades 8 to 12, the program uses tutors and mentors to help the students improve in school, set academic goals and prepare ready them for post secondary school or the workforce.
“I think the success of Rogers is because there are mentors,” said program co-ordinator Leah Cline.
With three committed mentors and eight registered students, Cline is hoping for more of each to assign one student per mentor. There is room for 20 learners in the program.
The Ponoka Outreach School may utilize the program and lab during a daytime setup and Cline mentioned to mentors who attended the orientation that a drop-in session may come later to further expand the lab’s resources past Monday and Thursday’s registered sessions.
Mentors will also be able to use the Rogers website to contact other mentors of the program from across Canada as a resource.
“The biggest thing we’re going to do is help them set some goals,” Cline explained to the mentors.
Cline says the first month of the program will be more informal to learn about the students and get them comfortable in the lab; October is when it will pick up the pace.
The mentors were also guided through the website’s programs to maximize their knowledge for the students. “There are so many programs. They can edit music, they can write music,” said Cline.
The learners can also work through skill badges, which are recognized by post-secondary intake offices and exhibit abilities for resumes.
The Youth Centre is holding a Rogers Raising the Grade launch party on Oct. 24 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the centre.