Mentoring is an incredibly fun way to make a difference in a child’s life.
Full Circle began as a trial program to measure the effectiveness of reducing substance abuse in at-risk youth if they were matched with a positive adult role model. More than fifteen years later, mentoring is still at the core of Full Circle’s programming and it has been successful in helping hundreds of youth become successful young adults.
Click here to see this month’s mentoring activities
Youth ages 9-12 are matched with volunteer adult mentors who spend 2-3 hours week with their “mentee”. Activities range from working on homework to cooking to climbing a 14er to just hanging out. Each month, Full Circle organizes a Mentor-Youth activity to bring together mentors and youth for a fun group outing whether it’s sledding, playing board games or our annual trip to Water World in Denver.
All mentors undergo a background check and training with Full Circle staff before they are matched with a child. Then they get to have unlimited fun, cool monthly activities and coupons to take their youth on activities. If you’re interested in being a mentor, please click here, and join the dozens of other Full Circle mentors who are making a difference to kids in Leadville.
Resources:
This web page is a resource for parents of children ages 10-19. It has many helpful resources for talking to youth and information about issues that they are facing (like bullying, hygiene, technology, ect.). www.teenagerstoday.com
For a calendar of activities going on in the community visit www.lcbag.org. Click on the link to “view calendar”. Also look through the rest of the website if you have time as it is a great organization in Leadville.
This is a great resource if you want to look into mentoring further. It has workbooks and readings for mentors to use. http://www.search-institute.org/mentoring
Activities:
Things that can be borrowed from the Full Circle Office to use with your Mentee:
Full Circle has a storage room full of recreational equipment you can borrow to use with your mentee. Please contact Marty at 486-2400 to borrow any of the equipment listed below. And if you don’t see it here, call and ask.
- bicycles (and helmets)
- basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and more
- fishing poles and tackle
- discs for disc golf course at CMC or Copper Mountain
- cross country skis, boots, and poles
- board games like Risk, Scrabble, Boggle, ect.
Here is a list of 71 activities to do with your mentee. They are arranged by month, but most can be done at any time. Many of these activities involve “STUFF” such as paint, magazines, recipes, sleds, ice skates, or ideas for hikes ect. All of which full Circle has. Call the office to request your “stuff”, the mentoring coordinator can hand it off to your mentee to make your life easier. Remember: involve your mentee in the planning of activities, use your creativity and imagination, and above all, have FUN; this is what it’s all about!
January
Sled at Dutch Henry together and go to Manuelitas for sopapillas and hot chocolate afterwards. FC has sleds.
Rent snowshoes from the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center and go snowshoeing.
Borrow cross-country skis and ski on CMC’s trails.
Ice Skate at the Lake County Ice Skating rink.
Build a snowperson.
Each Chinese food with chopsticks at the local Chinese restaurant.
February
Do homework together. Do a special school project or report together.
Make Valentine’s Day cards or sugar cookies together.
Conduct a demonstration in the mentee’s class.
Have lunch with your mentee at school.
Make paper mache “masks”, and decorate to celebrate Mardi Gras.
March
Attend a high school play or concert (call LCHS 486 6950).
Introduce your mentee to your work. Have a work oriented project you can do together.
Help mentee set up a resume on the computer. Talk to them about interviewing skills, and set up a mock interview with them.
Visit local business to talk to them about their business, what they do and what their job entails.
Visit the bank with mentee, to encourage them to open a checking or savings account. Teach them to manage a checking book.
Visit the Mining Museum, Healy House, Police Station, or Fire Station.
April
Color Easter eggs together.
Walk dogs at the animal shelter together.
Start a hobby together: make teas, rock hound, put together puzzles.
Have mentee make a meal that is representative of their family and culture.
Give mentee $10. Have them grocery shop and fix dinner on a budget.
Make piñatas for Cinco de Mayo (with balloons and paper mache; FC has candy for piñatas).
May
Make chili with mentee.
Build a pizza together.
Create flower vases out of clay together.
Visit HMI, to tour school, and talk about the possibility of attending -8200.
June
Ride the train.
Attend Arbor Day with mentee.
Attend the FC Highway Cleanup and Graduation Celebration.
BBQ at Turquoise Lake together.
Play Frisbee golf together at the CMC course. FC has golf Frisbees.
Paint and plant flowerpots together. FC had paints, or you can go to Fire on the Mountain.
July
Hike: Douglas City, Turquoise Lake, or Bear Lake with a flower book and snacks. Have a “who can identify the most flowers” contest and press a few.
Ride a section of the Mineral Belt Trail on bikes (FC has bikes and helmets). Go out for ice cream afterwards.
Plan a costume or “adornment” for 4th of July Parade.
Attend the 4th of July Parade together.
Plan a picnic together at Turquoise Lake or Twin Lakes.
Enjoy a campfire, ‘smores, and stories together.
August
Play tennis.
Set up and play croquet. FC has croquet set.
Plan a costume, float, ect. For Boom Days parade.
Attend Boom Days together.
Got to a yard sale together. Look for listings in papers.
Go to the community park playground.
Watch the finishes for the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike or Run races.
September
Take a tour of the Fish Hatchery, and hike to the playground above.
Hike in the aspen groves. Collect leaves and press between wax paper with an iron.
Decorate edges with colored paper for pictures or cards.
Take a tour of CMC campus and dorms.
Visit the library; get a card for your mentee and play computer games together.
Play chess, checkers, or board games together. FC has all of these.
Make a collage out of magazines to get to know your mentee. Include: likes, goals, favorite color, sport, food, family, makup, ect.
October
Rake leaves to make a leaf pile or stuff bags with leaves to create a scarecrow, pumpkin, spider, ect.
Carve pumpkins and toast the seeds with a bit of butter or olive oil.
Make pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies.
Make tombstones for Haunted House (proceeds benefit Full Circle!). Call Carla at 486-4282 for details of what to make.
Create a Halloween costume together.
Go to a football or soccer game together (call LCHS at 486-6950).
November
Learn about Day of the Dead and make “Day of the Dead” bread. Call FC 2400.
Make a dish with your mentee for the Full Circle potluck.
Attend the potluck together.
Attend Parent/Teacher conferences together.
Go bowling.
December
Make ornaments together: string popcorn and cranberries, make and paint flour and salt “clay ornaments” ect.
Make holiday sugar cookies or gingerbread together, and give as gifts.
Join the community for the tree lighting and caroling (watch the newspaper for details).
Involve your mentee in your own holiday preparations or preparation of food.
Make and send holiday greetings together.
Get involved in the Tree of Sharing together, whether it be wrapping or delivering presents; call 486-4282 for details.