Mentoring Alliance Provides Blessings with UT Tyler Scholarship
A staff member prays with a student at Mentoring Alliance After School. Photo courtesy of Katie Roark, Mentoring Alliance Asst. Media Storyteller.
By MACY WEATHERFORD/ Staff Writer
Mentoring Alliance is a Christ-centered, multi-ethnic ministry serving children and families in East and Central Texas. The nonprofit is about connecting godly people with families to provide high-quality, after-school programs, summer camps and mentoring relationships.
It exists to mobilize godly people into the lives of kids and families, to provide tangible help and eternal hope.
Mentoring Alliance Staff member spins child at playground. COURTESY/Katie Roark, Mentoring Alliance Asst. Media Storyteller
The Mentoring Alliance’s programs are: Mentoring Alliance After School, Mentoring Alliance Summer Camps and Mentoring Alliance Mentor Connect.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
The After School programs benefit the academic, social, physical, spiritual and emotional development of children at elementary schools in Tyler, Whitehouse and Bullard.
Averi Brown, After School area director, said, “The After School program we provide after school care, do homework time about three to four times a week, social emotional learning, and Bible study once a week. We get to love on kids and spread the Gospel.”
Brown continued, “My favorite part is getting to interact with my staff and getting to help them and watching them grow into leaders.”
After School Program jobs include site director, assistant site director, site administrator and counselors.
SUMMER CAMPS
Bobby Bressman, Summer Camps site coordinator, said, “I fell in love working at Mentoring Alliance. I had no idea that I had a passion for kids and a passion for college age adults. Being able to disciple and shepherd them and having the opportunity to minister in that capacity really spoke to me in a lot of ways.”
Summer Camps are day camps for kids entering grades first through sixth grades. The camps focus on academic learning, Bible study, mentorship and fun.
Bressman’s favorite part about being a summer camp site coordinator is sharing life with college students. College ministry is something Bressman is passionate about walking alongside the college students and making an impact in the lives of the kids they are serving.
Summer Camps jobs include, counselors, senior counselors, secretary or a site admin, work crew director, work crew, program directors and health assistant.
The University of Texas at Tyler offers scholarships for students who work in the After School program and at Summer Camps. Scholarship recipients must have at least a 2.75 GPA.
A staff member takes a photo at Mentoring Alliance After School. Photo courtesy of Katie Roark, Mentoring Alliance Asst. Media Storyteller
Kevin East, CEO of Mentoring Alliance, said, “When I got here 10 years ago, there was a family here in town giving four scholarships a year to Tyler for our Mentoring Alliance staff. None of the scholarships were filled because the staff didn’t qualify for the scholarships. I saw this as an amazing way we could get great staff.”
East continued, “That four turned into seven, turned into 11, turned into 20, to now 36 scholarships. The community provided scholarships to students who have been working in the program here. Four scholarships ten years ago and 36 today is great steps being taken forward.”
East said the scholarship is a blessing and that it is a blessing to work with kids.
Bressman siad: “For the fall semester scholarship, the application usually opens late spring early summer so right around the May mark. It’s usually given out late July early August right before school starts for the fall semester. The springtime it opens right around October and early November and then decisions are made right at the end of December early January, before school starts again for the spring semester.”
Staff member walks with students at Mentoring Alliance Summer Camp. COURTESY/Matthew Hogan, camp photographer
“Working for Mentoring Alliance, it’s a great opportunity. I was awarded with the scholarship, and it paid for five of my semesters of school. Without the scholarship, my parents would have to pay for my college, it was a burden off them. The community is great here and is a great place to work,” Brown said.
CHRISTIAN COKE
Christian Coke, Mentoring Alliance scholarship recipient, said, “I come from a broken family and in that way, I didn’t really have a lot of people besides those at my church that were able to pour into me. I went through a lot of family struggles growing up and working for Mentoring Alliance there’s a lot of financial aid offered through our programs for the kids and families at after school and our summer camps programs.”
Coke continued, “There’s a lot of kids that come from broken families as well and in situations with broken families there is a lot of hurt that comes along with that. I love being able to impact and reach those kids and be the adult that they need in their life. Being a mentor for the kids as they’re going through challenging situations is something I am passionate about.”
The scholarship helps Coke afford college. Working for Mentoring Alliance gives him Gospel opportunities to love kids.
“Finding out about the scholarship for UT Tyler with Mentoring Alliance this summer when I was working summer camp, I applied and now I’m on scholarship. It covers all of my tuition and fees, and it allows me to go to college while being financially independent without the help from my parents,” Coke said.
Mentoring Alliance teaches college students leadership skills and provides real-world experience. Coke has worked for Mentoring Alliance for nine months. He has served as a counselor, assistant director at site of 90 kids and now is a site director.
LEE BROADUS
Lee Broadus, another scholarship recipient, said,” My favorite part about working for Mentoring Alliance is spreading the Gospel in schools every day. I’ve seen statistics that said 80% of kids in the public school system don’t know Christ, eight out of 10 kids. It’s amazing to be able to share the Gospel with each one of them.”
“Having the opportunity to put time in with kids and grow relationships and seeing how the kids mature over the course of the year is so special to me.” Lee Broadus
He said having the scholarship gives him purpose and drive. Broadus has mentors who have poured into him while working for Mentoring Alliance.
“If you can commit working from 2 to 6 p.m. every day, five days a week for after school and commit half your summer to the summer camp, then you may qualify for this scholarship and it’s completely worth it,” Broadus said.
Staff member talks with kids at a Cafeteria at Mentoring Alliance Summer Camps. Photo courtesy of Matthew Hogan, Camp Photographer
MADYSON MCEUEN
Madyson McEuen, who also a scholarship recipient, said, “I love being with the kids and getting to share Christ with them, because some of them don’t really know who Jesus is. Seeing their joy behind learning and some kids know about the Bible, but they want to learn more. They have a need for it and being able to help them in their learning and see their passion for it, is my favorite part about working for Mentoring Alliance.”
McEuen continued, “The scholarship allows me to not have to stress about different loans or how I’m going to pay everything back. Honestly if I wasn’t on the scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be able to work for Mentoring Alliance without having a second job. Being on scholarship I don’t have to worry about a second job, and I can focus more on my grades rather than how I’m going to pay back school.”
The scholarship is a stress reliever for McEuen. She said she likes knowing she does not have that financial weight on her shoulders.
“I think people should work for Mentoring Alliance because I feel like it gives a purpose to life. I’m not just going through the motions. Yes, I know Jesus but he’s not part of my life. I actively and daily get to walk in my faith and show others my faith with Him. It feels so rewarding and the fact that I get to help all these kids and their families by just being there. I don’t always have to do or say anything but just being there with them is help enough,” McEuen said.
Bressman said: “If you want to go into teaching or any type of leadership role when you’re out of college or if you just want a fun job that is chill, working for Mentoring Alliance is a great opportunity. If you’re going to UT Tyler and you can get on scholarship, definitely apply. The scholarship allowed me and my wife to both come out of college debt free and it’s a blessing to so many others.”
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