Mentoring Program in the Works

by James Pruch

This summer I'm working on the development of the new mentoring program. As I have been making brochures, interest surveys, and looking for field trip ideas, I am getting more and more excited about this program. I see all of these things coming together and I know that a child's life will be changed when a mentor invests into his or her life. We will see youth's strengths being discovered and put into practice. The results will be seen long after I'm gone from City Impact, but knowing that what I'm creating will give a young person hope is so satisfying. Knowing that God is going to use this program to change lives is comforting, encouraging, and humbling.

Kudos!

“What’s a Kudos?” one student asked as they pulled a “Kudos” card out of their mailbox. As I had mentioned in a previous post about strengths, the Impact Learning Center is using Gallup’s StrengthsExplorer for the students. Each student is given their top three strengths. To learn more about StrengthsExplorer visit the website at www.strengthsexplorer.com.

Once anyone learns what they are gifted in, it is a waste for them not to use it. That is why we want to encourage and educate students on their strengths and how to use them effectively.

Strengths are something that each person has and affects their thoughts and actions, so it is inevitable that we use our strengths daily. “Kudos” are a way to catch kids using their strengths and encouraging them to continue doing that. Once they realize their strength and realize how they can use it with their actions. That is when they will make an impact.

A good example comes from staff member’s James’s journal about third grader Tabitha whose strengths are Dependability, Caring, and Confidence.

Today, we played soccer for Rec Time and one student in particular, Tabitha, exuded an amazing quality. Usually, when students play sports they want to be the star, the go-to-player. As we have been in the program for a few months now, I have seen students take the ball from each other in order to score a goal or make a basket. In fact, we have had to stop Rec Time before because students have been too rowdy, too selfish, or too spiteful. Today, however, Tabitha continually offered to let another student kick the ball or throw it in from out of bounds. This happened at least four times! I was so impressed by her unselfishness that I wrote her a ”Kudos" because of her inclusiveness during the game. I know that because of her actions, other students will change their attitudes and actions when they play sports with each other.

As I have been getting to know the students at the ILC, God has continually been giving me insight into what it means to love people, in this case, young people. Working with inner city kids is a blessing and God has been revealing themes to me, in order to better relate to kids.

Being a man, it is important to work here. A lot of these youths do not have fathers and being able to talk with them, play with them, and show the love of Christ to them are all ways that help them see what it means to be a real man. Now, these themes God has been revealing are quite simple. I am not an educational psychology major or a child counselor major, but knowing how to read people and be empathic with them helps in this case. Two boys I've come in contact with both desire attention and the need to feel like they are important, yet the both communicate that in different ways. For one boy, he communicates that through the desire to be the best, especially at sports and on occasion, even wanting to help clean up after snack. He is very vocal and sometimes mean-spirited in a game. Just looking at these qualities and his demeanor tell me that he longs for someone to regard him as significant. Then again, who doesn't want that? In this boy's case, he doesn't know how to handle his talents, emotions, and verbal in a way that edifies people yet.

The other boy, on the other hand, is very quiet, introverted, and timid. Rarely does this boy eat a snack or speak up when playing basketball or soccer. In fact, he seems to be reclusive and in this, I feel, he really feels disengaged from the activity and not empowered to use the God-given abilities he has. One sad experience I had with him was when he was sent to our "Reroute Room," where kids go when they are showing disrespect or disregard for someone or an activity. At one point, after I asked him what the problem was, he started to tear up, yet he remained silent the whole time. I think it's hard for him to handle and express his emotions, desires, concerns, or even his side of the story.

Now, I don't give these two examples to be pessimistic or discouraging. Rather, these are things that I trust God to change. These are lives in which I see the possibility of reform! In whatever ways He desires, God is going to change hearts and minds and lips for His glory and I am fully confident in that.

Meet Mr. James

My name is James Pruch. I grew up in the Omaha, Nebraska, with my parents and younger sister and brother. I grew up in a Christian home and I accepted Christ around the age of seven. Still, this faith in Christ was more of a habit than a personal relationship as I got into junior high and high school. After my sophomore year in college, I finally began to realize that spiritual things and pursuing God were important. I rededicated my life to Christ in August of 2005 and thus began a faith journey that has been both challenging and exhilarating. During the last three years I have been involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and through this organization, God has used relationships I have made to shape and mold me to look more like Him. I am a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and will be graduating this May with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Religious Studies.

My official title with the Impact Learning Center is a site coordinator. I will assist the director in setting up and tearing down the program each day. Also, I will oversee logistical operations and help the teachers and volunteers in any way needed.