Spark Mentoring Program – Motivating Kids Toward Success!
In America today, it is estimated that 30% of high school students become dropouts. In order to change this statistic and help kids become more motivated, teachers Chris Balme and Melia Dicker created the Spark mentoring program. The Spark program tries to motivate each kid toward success by asking them to name their dream job. The kid is then put into an “apprenticeship” with an adult in their dream profession so they can learn firsthand about the position and what it will take to get them there.
Today, the Spark program has set up over 1,000 apprenticeships and has started kids all over the country on the road to their dream jobs!
This video tells all about the Spark program and the incredible impact it’s having!
Additional Resources:
- Here is the website for BUILD, another program that motivates kids the same way the Spark program does!
- In this video, one of the Spark program’s participants tells how Spark motivated her.
Topics for Discussion:
- Why do you think having an apprenticeship motivates the kids in the Spark program?
- What is your dream job? What will you need to do to achieve this job?
Take Action:
- Visit the Spark program website to learn how you can get involved in this amazing effort!
- Visit the RAFT website to learn more about hands-on teaching and how it, like the Spark program, is motivating kids!
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
