Building Grit Week By Week, Grades 4-6

Format

Poster Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

North Carolina State University

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Poster Session (Harborside)

Strand #1

Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Family & Community

Relevance

Student youth advocates participating in a college mentoring program (Students Advocating for Youth) build resiliency skills in disadvantaged youth in grades 4 through 6 through a series of life development techniques and strategies. This presentation will outline how our youth advocates, or mentors increase mentees' self-confidence, ability to handle adversity in the home, and how to use their 'voice' at school to create better peer relationships.

Brief Program Description

Ever wondered if college students could provide the type of guidance for younger at-risk students who are in need of resources to thrive in this competitive world? This presentation will demonstrate how freshman and sophomore students at NC State University affect positive change for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. Target audience to include educators, college student affairs personnel, and anyone working with youth in an after-school setting.

Summary

College student participants of the Students Advocating for Youth Village program employ a strengths-based model for serving as youth advocates to 4th, 5th, and 6th grade "at-success" students in Wake County schools. Each advocate (or "mentor") works one-on-one once a week with a designated youth mentee. A relationship is built over the course of an academic year, with each mentor/mentee pair working on ways to improve the mentee's interpersonal skills. "Grit" is the ultimate goal - developing resiliency that each mentee can take with him or her in school and in homelife. Sample strategies, techniques, and activities used will be discussed.

Evidence

In post-testing compared to pre-testing, scores increased for these age groups (4-6 grade participants) in the twelve categories:

I am confident in myself in my classes and schoolwork

I feel that I am a confident person at home and in other places outside of school

I feel supported and encouraged at home

I feel supported and encouraged by adults at school

I listen to everyone’s opinion

I can communicate my ideas clearly

I am responsible

I enjoy being a leader at school

I finish jobs or tasks given to me

I know how to set goals for my future

I know what steps to take to accomplish goals I’ve set for myself

I know I will be successful in the future

Biographical Sketch

Robin McWilliams has directed the Students Advocating for Youth living and learning village at NC State since 2005. SAY Village students are 1st-year college students who serve as youth advocates in Wake County elementary schools and 2nd-year college students who serve as youth advocates in Wake County middle schools. McWilliams supervises these college youth advocates and is the lead instructor for a 100 level fall and spring course, "Issues in Youth Advocacy." He has a masters degree in Counselor Education from UNC-Greensboro.

Keyword Descriptors

Grit, Resilience, after-school advocacy, elementary, middle, college

Presentation Year

2019

Start Date

3-5-2019 4:00 PM

End Date

3-5-2019 5:30 PM

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Mar 5th, 4:00 PM Mar 5th, 5:30 PM

Building Grit Week By Week, Grades 4-6

Poster Session (Harborside)

Ever wondered if college students could provide the type of guidance for younger at-risk students who are in need of resources to thrive in this competitive world? This presentation will demonstrate how freshman and sophomore students at NC State University affect positive change for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. Target audience to include educators, college student affairs personnel, and anyone working with youth in an after-school setting.