Get acquainted with new Executive Director, Chris Saunders

As the newest member of the Mentoring Plus family, Mr. Saunders is very much at home already. This comes as no surprise, since he has long been in the service of disadvantaged youth in our area – and his leap of faith into leading Mentoring Plus has been in the making from the days of his own youth.

His time as a student at Northern Kentucky University produced a passion for helping others in need, so Chris devoted his studies to social work and public administration. In short order, Chris delved into the world of youth mentoring, and became a volunteer with the renowned Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati. Mentoring was a natural vehicle for his service-centered passions, and he witnessed firsthand the positive influence that he and countless other volunteers were able to provide for local youth.

Upon graduating, Chris took another leap – not only continuing as a mentor with BBBS, but also accepting a position as a Case Manager. It was there that his leadership in the mentoring world began; he implemented the mentoring program, and paired countless volunteers and children, with the singular focus of helping others achieve the same positive influence he had experienced in his own mentoring service.

His next leap found him landing just next door in Dayton Independent Schools, where he spent ten years as Program Director of 21st Century programming. Chris led his team in a tireless labor of love, striving to meet the needs of Dayton’s neediest students and families. Centered around academics, community development and social development, his program reached more than 35 percent of the student population; educators reported significant improvements in leadership, attendance and classroom behavior.

Chris is excited to now find himself at Mentoring Plus, the culmination of his local journey through youth mentoring and social services. And we are excited to see how his wide-ranging experience and passion will lead Mentoring Plus into our next big leap. Part of what Chris likes so much about this new “home” is not just the shared vision of helping children and parents, but that it’s also, unabashedly, a family. Chris’ family – his wife Erin, and children Sara and Ben (and their dog Duke) – have quickly welcomed these strange new extended family members from Mentoring Plus. His daughter Sarah recently remarked, with the unvarnished honesty of the very young, “Dad, you’re like the principal and have the coolest job in the world.” (She is also advocating for her father to spend less time on papers and more time using the basketball court at his office – we shall see if she makes any progress on this front.) And while he may not be a “principal” per se, she has the key kernel of truth down flat. Chris’ foundation of service to others will no doubt help all of us continue the mission of guiding kids, supporting families and strengthening the community. He lives by a family truth instilled long ago, that of the golden rule – do to others as you would have them do to you. So we happily anticipate seeing what lies ahead.

For the past 3 months, our teen Life Skills Lessons have focused on the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. Using an evidence-based curriculum, the teens learned about the effects of heredity and environment on a person’s chances of becoming an addict. They were informed of high- and low-risk choices and created a personal plan for making healthy choices in the future. They had some difficult discussions with their mentors and other youth about their own experiences, the problems they see in their schools and communities, and whether or not any of it can truly be fixed.

This year, we were able to further engage our youth with the power of personal storytelling. Several local community members, like Vincent, spoke to our teens about their personal addiction and recovery journeys. Vincent is one of several volunteers working with Mentoring Plus through a partnership with the Grateful Life Center. Men who reach certain milestones in their recovery at GLC are able to work with the staff at both agencies to find appropriate paths to volunteering at Mentoring Plus – including sharing testimony with groups of youth, pitching in with event set-up and facility renovations, and preparing meals.

The message they bring with all of those efforts is powerful for our teens – addiction is real, and life-altering – but recovery is also real. In people like Vincent, our teens can see that there is hope in recovery; there is even the power to bring change to your own neighborhood. We hope their witness will impact the choices of our teens, and give them hope that the communities they live in can heal.

Volunteer NKY Encourages a Culture of Volunteerism

Volunteer NKY is a movement to encourage social service volunteerism in Northern Kentucky.  People helping people is their tagline.

This movement started in 2015 when the Life Solutions Network hosted its first volunteer fair at the Life Learning Center.  It was a small event that prompted bigger thinking.

The Planning Team developed the following Vision:

• We build a more vibrant and engaged NKY by easily connecting people of all ages and all walks of life with opportunities to serve.
• We are all in it together, everyone makes the world a better place in their own unique way.
• People volunteer to their purpose, passion and potential.

In 2016, a Facebook page was started, two Volunteer Vision workshops were held, a Best Practices tool for volunteer leaders was developed and another volunteer fair was hosted.

Volunteer NKY is in its 3rd year and is making progress; even bigger plans have been made.  They will:

• Host 3 volunteer fairs at various locations.
• Develop a process to link skilled volunteers and service learners to needs.
• Create a Speaker’s Bureau.
• Host a “retreat” for volunteer leaders to include networking and best practices learning.
• Continue to rollout the Volunteer Vision process and Best Practices tool.

The regional team is influencing volunteerism strategically and systemically, complementing the work of local organizations that need volunteers.

Tony Aloise, Life Solutions Network

The movement is driven by volunteers and volunteer professional from across the region.  Partners include Mentoring Plus, Brighton Center, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Women’s Crisis Center, Welcome House and the Life Learning Center.

The Life Solutions Network continues to provide sponsorship and leadership.   This is a volunteer-driven network for volunteers and social service professionals who choose to serve our community by building the capability of people in need.  It was founded by Tony Aloise, a Procter & Gamble retiree who developed a passion for “life skills and volunteer solutions”.

You can learn more about the Life Solutions Network or Volunteer NKY by following the embedded links.

By Belle Zembrodt, MS, LPCC
NKU Honors Program Interim Director

1. College is not the same as high school.

There is a lot more freedom in college than high school but with that freedom comes responsibility.  In high school you spend about seven hours a day in class with a teacher telling you what to do and reminding you when it is due.  In college you may spend three hours a day in class but you are expected to spend time outside of class reading, preparing for the class, studying and keeping up with your assignments on your own.  It is important to read the syllabus to know what is expected and when.

2. You don’t need to have a major right away.

Sometimes students feel a lot of pressure to choose a major right away but if you are not sure about what you want to do, take the time to explore.  Colleges have a Career Services office where you can identify your interests and goals and learn about majors and careers that would be best suited to you.

3. Know yourself.

Many students have not considered what their values are or how new ideas might affect their behavior. Values form the basis of decisions.   Take time to reflect on what you believe and be yourself.

4. Treat others with respect.

There are people from all over the world on a college campus.  Some of these people may have ideas and values very different from yours. Everyone has dignity and deserves to be treated with respect.  It is to your advantage to talk with people different from you to gain a broader perspective on life and your own values.

5. Use the student support services.

Many students think that going to tutoring or the writing center means they are bad students.  Actually it is just the opposite.  Good students use these services so that they can do better.   Students who are less successful don’t go to class or do the work.

6. Be healthy.

Sleep is so important.  Be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.  Eat healthy.  Exercise. Colleges have campus recreation facilities and joining an intramural team is a great way to exercise and make friends.  It is easier to manage stress when you are healthy.  If you do have a cold or cough, go to the nurse at the Health, Counseling, and Wellness office.

7. Ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask. Asking questions is a way to learn.   People on campus are here to help.  If you aren’t sure who to ask, ask anybody.   If they can’t help you, they can point you in the right direction.

8. Don’t give up.

College may be big and scary at first.  But before long, you will know your way around and you will be helping other people.

HYPE Cincinnati (Harnessing Young Professional Energy) made arrangements for a fundraiser for Mentoring Plus at the Cincinnati Cyclones game on Jan 11. A portion of all tickets sold in our designated section came back to Mentoring Plus. We took a group of our kids to the game and they got to play “Big Ball” on the ice between 1st and 2nd period. It was a fun evening!

To learn more about HYPE click here. If you have an idea for a fundraiser for Mentoring Plus, call our Program Director, Robin Anderson at 859-982-5895.