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We sometimes wonder now if what happened was a divine accident or, fueled by our own growing-up experiences, a burning flame that had been smoldering within for years and suddenly . . . because of one special spiritual gift . . . . ignited.
We began the format at the King Arts Complex, (Columbus, Ohio) at the Summer Camp in 2007. Over 300 kids ranging in ages 4-15 attended the blue print of the POTENTIAL Program. We spent the next few months planning and gathering the resources for a successful mentoring program. We had literally no capital, but as our own mothers would say, we had "moxie." January 18th, 2008, Faith Haynesworth (Teacher at Oakmont Elementary) and Amber Hatcher (Principal at Oakmont Elementary) gave us the opportunity to present our program to the students at Oakmont Elementary. This turned out to be our pilot for the program as we touched the lives of students and teachers alike. We created such a strong impact at Oakmont; the school’s trophy case is flooded with photographs from our program. We made several visits back to Oakmont, mentoring students, visiting classrooms, speaking to the students and eating lunch with the students. Our road to formulating a successful mentoring program continued to Fairwood Elementary through the help of Cynthia Moore (Principal). At Fairwood Elementary we broadened the scope of our program by working in conjunction with the faculty and principal, without limiting our effectiveness on the students. Our methods to motivate students are simple, yet one of the most effective of any mentoring program available today.
The POTENTIAL In School Program targets several key areas faced daily by faculty, principals and guidance counselors.
Þ Bullying – 50% of students fail to attend school due to problems with other students
Þ Attendance – Our focus is to increase attendance at each school we serve
Þ Attitude – We help students improve their attitude towards school and their teachers
Þ Proficiency Testing – We motivate students by consistently returning to their school and offering encouragementThe POTENTIAL In School Program is one of the most influential and effective mentoring programs growing in Central Ohio.