Ashley Leonard highlights her extensive experience leading mentoring programs in chicago, and how it builds connection and belonging in students and teachers. We explore the benefits of mentoring and its relationship to improved academic and emotional outcomes for adolescents.
Guest:
Ashley Leonard. Education for 23 years. Counselor at Langston Hughes in Roseland Neighborhood of Chicago, IL. She has been a counselor for 15 years. Program Ambassador for Erika's Lighthouse. Speaks for their program which is free. Also do part time therapy, at Olive Branch Associates.

To connect with Ashley, please email:
[email protected]

To learn more about mentoring, please explore the following:
https://toandthrough.uchicago.edu/research

Timestamps:
4:00 – Personal Story – What Led You to Exploring Mentorship?
7:30 – Concept – Social Capital to Connect to Experiences
9:45 – Personal Story – How did you start the To & Through Program?
13:15 – Concept – Adolescence is the 2nd Most Important for Child development
13:15 – Research - Life course epidemiology: recognizing the importance of adolescence (Viner et al., 2015)
17:22 – Concept – What can mentorship look like in a high school?
18:30 – Concept – Mentors Need Understanding Adolescent Issues
19:22 – Concept – Mentors Benefit from Encouraging While Having High Expectations
20:00 – Concept – Mentoring Takes Time Commitment
21:20 – Benefits – Relationships (Belonging) are the Foundation for Success Academically
22:00 – Research - The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research - Foundations for Young Adult Success Report
22:00 – Research - The University of Chicago Consortium on School Research - Investing in Adolescents
24:20 – Strategy – Strength Based Conferences
27:00 – Research – The Impact of Student–Teacher Relationships on Black Middle School Boys (Leverett et al., 2022)
28:30 – Student Strategy – Finding Mentors – Ask For Help!
28:30 – Parent Strategy – Exploring Mentors – Formal Mentorship Programs Help, Especially for Post-Secondary Work
34:20 – Parent Strategy – Exploring Mentors – Ask Other Parents about Partnerships
38:30 – Student Strategy – Build Your Board of Directors
46:00 – Idea – How to Start a Mentorship Program
47:10 – Personal Strategy – Music & Walks
Special thanks to musical artists:
Psalm Trees: https://psalmtreesbeats.bandcamp.com/

Korey Wade:
@koreywade / @sphereofhiphop
Available now wherever you stream/download music.
Bandcamp: https://sphereofhiphop.bandcamp.com

To provide suggestions for new topics in future episodes, visit:
present-mind.org/podcast