Transforming Youth: Step-Up to Excellence Mentors Talk

 By Arianna Campbell

Motivational writer and educator William Arthur Ward once said, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Step Up to Excellence mentors inspire youth and in return, the youth inspire them.

Step Up to Excellence is a mentoring program started in 2001 by Caroline and Jim Birmingham. It is funded by the nonprofit organization, Piecework Partners, and it pairs “natural mentors,” teachers, to highly motivated, high achieving students from low-income backgrounds. It runs in four schools, Stoughton, Framingham, Clinton, and Fitchburg. They help build experiences through required volunteer work, summer programs, and activities within the community.

So far, all of the students in the program graduate from high school, and a majority go on to college.

Alyssa Dancey has been in Step Up for 22 years and has seen the impact Step Up has on youth.

“Many of our graduated students may not have been able to find as much success without the program. Whether that means their mentor helped find summer programs that sparked an interest in a future career, community service opportunities, kept them accountable for grades or attendance, or even just purchased necessary supplies for a project. With just a little, Step Up can do a lot,” Dancey said.

These mentors help students maintain their grades, complete community service, participate in club activities, and make sure to fulfill their requirements for the program. It’s to give that support to youth that may not feel it and guide them to succeed.

“I always tell my students, I'm kind of like your professional nag in the school, and I'm your professional mother in the school,” Janean Ruschioni, who has been a mentor for eight years and mentored 5 kids, said.

This small, tight-knit community serves as a pillar of support not only for the students, but for the mentors.

“I think that something that is overlooked about Step Up is the impact that being a mentor has on teachers. It is typically such a positive experience and such a different kind of relationship than what you typically have with your students. Mentors are also given the opportunity to participate in meaningful community service work,” Dancey said.

One study appears to highlight the importance of mentoring programs. According to a Big Brother Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) transformative study, mentoring has a lifelong impact on the youth, leading to better behavior, better economic turnout, and increased likelihood of going to college by 10%.

Building close, one-on-one relationships with students is also valuable to the mentors.

“I think all my kids teach me something new and something different. And I think that they all teach me that teenagers are so unique,” Ruschioni said.

Step-Up Alumni Bithanie Gustin said Step-Up helped her to be less of a home body and more outgoing with her friends and boyfriend.

The mentors said working with youth is rewarding.

“I think that that is crucial to anyone's success is that someone believes in you and truly wants the best for you in a sincere and authentic way,” Ruschioni said.

Step-Up Alumni Gustin and Christie Jean have fond memories of their mentors and their impact on their lives.

“I enjoyed the coffee chats and viewing museums. It helped me appreciate the company of a stable adult who has good intentions in helping me,” Gustin said.

“My mentor was great! She was always supportive and went the extra mile when needed. She is the reason I started going to therapy and get the help I needed for my depression at the time,” Jean said.

Jean still talks to her mentor today.

Executive Director Jamie Regan, who runs the Stoughton program, oversees all four Step-Up programs.

“Step up definitely gears towards our demographic of highly motivated students of low income so with regard to the highly motivated students, you know we're giving them access to incredible opportunities that can expand their future, but additionally, they are also students of low income kids that may not have these opportunities because of the financial burden,” Regan said.

 

Many of these students in the program become first-generation college students.

Bianka Cabrera, a Stonehill first-generation student, struggled with the transition from high school to college due to her low-income background. She said this type of program would have helped her.

“I wish my high school had provided more support in preparing me for college as a first-generation student,” Cabrera said.

 Cabrera said that programs that aid first-generation students are important.

“These programs also play a critical role in helping us reach graduation, which opens doors that may not have been available to our families. With those opportunities, we gain access to better career paths, increased job prospects, and the potential for higher earnings, ultimately allowing us to build a more stable future,” Cabrera said.

Now, the Step-Up Alums are both moving forward in life.

Gustin is now starting her career and is currently working as a system analyst after graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

“Right now, I am headed to grad school for my MSW. My mentor actually helped me with my applications by going over my personal statements and helping me polish them. Just one of the ways that step up still impacts my life today,” Jean said.

“I always tell this to my students, that one of the proudest things I do in my career is Step Up,” Ruschioni said.