Periodically, Beyond the Classroom shares blog posts from affiliates, mentors, partners, and education and nonprofit leaders that inform our work and guide our mission to help students succeed. Today’s post was originally published on Communities In Schools of North Carolina’s blog, and provides a glimpse into the relationship between a mentor and a student and how they’re enriching each other’s lives.

Communities In Schools understands how influential a positive role model is in a student’s life. Mentors help guide students towards making healthy, productive choices and offer nonjudgmental encouragement. We are dedicated to providing the young people we serve with the one-on-one relationships they need to succeed.

Jasmine Lane and her mentor, Louann Albright. Photo courtesy Communities In Schools of North Carolina.

Sometimes things come together at the right time, for the right people and the right reason. Communities In Schools of Scotland County has been in two schools for just over a year. Already, there are success stories from the mentoring program that is so essential to Communities In Schools’ success.

Jasmine Lane, an eighth grader at Carver Middle School in Laurel Hill, N.C., believes Communities In Schools is a good program that is helping her in many ways. Since joining Communities In Schools, Jasmine feels better about herself and more assured that people are out there to help. This positive outlook is new for Jasmine. During the sixth grade she was suspended from school frequently, argued with her teachers and got into fights, but these days Jasmine has a much better attitude. She no longer gets suspended from school, is involved in sports, and has become a leader, setting a great example for other Communities In Schools students.

One reason for Jasmine’s success is the time she spends with her mentor, Mrs. Louann Albright, one of her seventh grade teachers, who is now an important friend.  When asked about Mrs. Albright, CTE Computer Skills teacher at Carver, Jasmine replies, “I can tell her stuff. She is like a mother to me, a shoulder that I need. Mrs. Albright sees the best in me when nobody else does.” Jasmine is thankful that Mrs. Albright pushes her but doesn’t judge her.

Mrs. Albright, who has been a teacher for 18 years, describes her year-long mentoring relationship with Jasmine as a positive, eye-opening experience that has given her a different perspective about all of her students. “I see more clearly that everybody doesn’t have the same experience growing up and that we all have different backgrounds. They say it takes a village to raise a child and I think it really does. I believe every adult should add something positive to a child’s life,” said Mrs. Albright.

Mrs. Albright involves Jasmine in activities outside of school and even invites her own daughter along as well. Besides school, Jasmine goes over to Mrs. Albright’s home or they will go out to eat; they have even gotten manicures together. Their next planned adventure includes a movie and ice cream. Mrs. Albright says her eight-year-old daughter loves Jasmine like a big sister, and that Jasmine feels the sister relationship just the same. It is clear both lives have been enriched by the mentoring program.

Another person in Jasmine’s life that makes sure Jasmine is on track is Mr. James McLean, her Communities In Schools Site Coordinator at Carver Middle School. “I am so grateful to Mrs. Albright for being a wonderful mentor to Jasmine,” said Mr. McLean. “I am going to see to it that Jasmine Lane is the first child in her family to graduate from high school and accomplish great things.”

Mr. McLean thinks Mrs. Albright and Jasmine are a great match and is excited about all that Jasmine has already accomplished. He sees a bright future for her, believing that sky’s the limit for this young lady.

Jasmine Lane is happy to have Mr. McLean and Mrs. Albright in her life and is thankful that Communities In Schools of Scotland County is in her school.