A new initiative aims to bring the benefits of mentorship to one million underprivileged students. Find out how Brother's Keeper hopes to change lives.

1. B R O T H E R ' S
K E E P E R
M E N T O R S H I P F O R T H E 2 1 S T
C E N T U R Y
R I C H A R D H O R O W I T Z

2. Research continues to show that
mentorship can play a key role in later
success.

3. But, clearly, some children do not have
access to ideal role-models

4. But a new, presidential, education
intiative called "My Brother's Keeper",
will bring that chance to one million
under-privileged school children.

5. The biggest goal right now, is
to use these mentors to
prevent truancy, and make
sure that students are
attending.

6. The program will begin in ten cities
from Boston to Seattle, and slowly
grow. The first two years will focus on
250,000 students in grades 6-9.

7. It will then expand to reach kids from
kindergarten through high school.

8. The mentors come from a variety of
backgrounds and will meet with the
students 3 times per week to ensure
attendance.

9. While ensuring attendance
may seem like a low goal, high
rates of absenteeism are
correlated with poor
classroom performance and
greater likelihood to drop out.
Not a bad thing to try and fix!