Youth in mentoring program have “A better chance of going on to higher education… Better attitudes towards school with a higher value placed on schooling… [and] Improved positive social attitudes and relationships towards school, the future, the elderly and helping behaviors.”

– Mentoring as a Family Strengthening Strategy, National Human Services Assembly: Family Strengthening Policy Center http://www.aecf.org/upload/publicationfiles/ec3655k738.pdf

“…through interactions with mentors, children and adolescents may acquire and refine new thinking skills, becoming more receptive to adult values, advice, and perspectives. In support of these possibilities, close, enduring ties with mentors have been found to predict improvements in academic and vocational outcomes (e.g., Herrera et al., 2007; Klaw, Fitzgerald, & Rhodes, 2003). Finally, as noted, mentoring relationships also may facilitate identity development (path e). Illustratively, mentors may help shift youths’ conceptions of both their current and future identities. Markus and Nurius (1986) have referred in this regard to ‘‘possible selves,’’ or individuals’ ideas of what they might become, what they would like to become, and what they fear becoming. More generally, relationships with mentors may open doors to activities, resources, and educational or occupational opportunities on which youth can draw to construct their sense of identity (Darling, Hamilton, Toyokawa, & Matsuda, 2002).”

–Mentoring Relationships and Programs for Youth, Rhodes & DuBois http://www.rhodeslab.org/files/RHODESDUBOISCURRENTDIRECTIONS.pdf

“…academic achievement is a key predictor of socioeconomic status… Overall, youth participating in mentoring relationships experience positive academic returns… Better attendance. Youth participating in mentoring programs had fewer unexcused absences from school than did similar youth not participating in these programs… skipped half as many days of school as did the control youth. And… showed a gain of more than a week of attended classes… Better chance of going on to higher education… participants were somewhat more likely to attend college than non-participant youth… Better attitudes toward school… that mentored youth had better attitudes toward school than non-mentored youth. In addition, teachers viewed youth mentored… as placing a higher value on school than non-mentored youth.”

–Mentoring: A promising Strategy for Youth Development – Jekielek, S. M., Moore, K. A.,Hair, E. C.,&Scarupa,H.J. (February, 2002) http://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2002/02/MentoringRB.pdf