CAYCE, S.C. — A mentoring partnership between USC and a Midlands alternative school is setting teens up for life after high school.
Its called SC AMP (University of South Carolina Adolescent Mentoring Program), and it's a university-community partnership program that provides mentoring to youth.
The program matches trained university student mentors with high school students who attend New Bridge Academy in Lexington Two School District.
LaMarria Burgess, 15, is a mentee. The New Bridge Academy student says meeting her USC mentor was like meeting her big sister.
“It helped me learn that there are people out there that I can talk to, cause I was really closed off in expressing my feelings, but meeting a mentor, it helped me open up," said LaMarria.
She says this program helped her get back on the straight and narrow in school, saying, “I probably would still be getting in trouble.”
LaMarria says being with her mentor was a breath of fresh air, saying, “When I was with them it was like I could breathe and express myself finally.”
Alexus Brown is her mentor, the duo met weekly, Alexus saying, “Feel like we were making a real change in the lives of our mentees.”
She went on to say, “It really did feel like a big sisterhood and we were very supportive of each other.”
Dr. Tia Andersen is the director of the program, she says the goal is to teach young people the meaning of resilience and at the same time, teaching USC students leadership skills and empathy.
“We all need someone in our life who is our unconditional supporter who believes in us, who truly cares for us," said Dr. Andersen.
Karen Hunter a counselor from New Bridge Academy says mentors have a lasting impact on her students.
Hunter going on to say, “Plants a seed about moving forward with their life and going to college, realizing I may not have done what I needed to do what I needed to in high school but if I can just get through high school I can go on to college.”
