The Stanley Hupfeld Academy Mentoring Program: Enriching the Lives of Students and Mentors

Ford Watkins, Politics EditorLast spring, when Erik Rangel ‘17 spoke to the Casady YAC Club about Stanley Hupfeld Academy’s Mentoring Program, I was immediately intrigued. The mentoring program seemed like a fantastic thing to do. If I ended up making a positive change in one of the student’s lives, It would have been worth each and every minute. Since the idea hadn’t reached us until the end of the 2016-2017 school year, we didn’t get to start the program until this year.When mentoring at Stanley Hupfeld Academy, the mentor is paired up with one student. The mentors help them with academic needs, check their homework, and can then play games with the student. My mentee is D’Michael Banks, a 3rd grader who loves video games and sports.D’Michael and I have become good friends, and my friends who are also mentors have cultivated amazing friendships with their mentees as well. Seeing the students’ faces when we arrive elates me every single time.  The staff at Stanley Hupfeld Academy contains some of the kindest and hardworking people I’ve ever seen. They, like the mentors, always prioritize the student’s success and happiness. With these great programs, teachers, and administrators, it’s easy to see why the students work so hard and strive for improvement every day.The school’s Mentoring Program is strong and growing, but there are still over 100 students without mentors. If you want to make an astronomically positive impact on a child’s life, this is a great way to do it. There are no age restrictions and applying is simple. I look forward to mentoring every week because it really can change lives