increase in well being for our mentees at the end of the program.
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The My Potential International Mentoring Program was born out of heartbreak and hope. In recent years, the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights communities have faced a devastating epidemic of youth suicides and overdoses. In Dearborn, the police department reported 26 overdose deaths among local teens. In the years of 2018-2019, in the network (not exclusive to Dearborn) 88 youth under the age of 17 lost their lives to suicide. Families, schools, and friends were left grieving, and our community was left asking: How can we protect our children?
The answer began with a simple but powerful idea: no student should have to face the challenges of high school alone. From this vision, My Potential Mentoring Program was created more than a decade ago to offer friendship, guidance, and hope to young people who might otherwise feel invisible.
Starting high school can be overwhelming, new hallways, new faces, new pressures. For some students, it sparks isolation, anxiety, depression, and even lower academic grades. My Potential was created to change that scenario.
Through mentorship, we connect 9th and 10th graders with caring 11th and 12th grade mentors who walk alongside them during this critical time. These relationships offer friendship, encouragement, and academic support, helping students believe in themselves and feel that someone truly cares.
We believe that when students are given support and love, they not only succeed academically, but also grow in confidence, resilience, and self-worth.
Our mentors , upper-class students selected by their school administrators, receive training to support younger peers. Each week, they meet one-on-one with their mentee, offering homework help, encouragement, and simply the gift of friendship.
Together, mentors and mentees participate in school-approved field trips, career days, and other activities that help build trust, connection, and team-building. Many of these relationships continue beyond the first year, blossoming into long-term friendships that change both lives.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when isolation and depression soared, My Potential mentoring program mentors adapted, continuing their weekly sessions through FaceTime and virtual check-ins. That consistency reminded students that even in the hardest times, they were not alone.
Based on pre-mentorship data and post-mentorship data, the results show:
For mentees:
For mentors:
In our 2018–2019 surveys, mentees reported a 65% decrease in anxiety, stronger connections to teachers, and improved happiness at school. More than 25% raised their grades, and mentors themselves saw academic improvements and grew as leaders.
One student shared: “For the first time in my life, I felt like someone really cared about me.”
What started as a small effort has blossomed into a program touching the lives of more than 100 students across Dearborn and Dearborn Heights schools. With support from the Dearborn Rotary Foundation, dedicated educators, and generous community members, My Potential International Mentoring Program has become more than a program, it’s a family.
Together, we are building a culture of hope, compassion, and belonging for our youth. And with every mentor-mentee pair, we take one more step toward a brighter, safer future for the next generation.
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