Making a Difference, Changing Lives

TEEN TRENDSETTERS™ READING MENTORS

From its beginning in Florida in 2002, with just 30 teen mentors, TEEN TRENDSETTERS™ has grown to over 3000 teen mentors, with a matching number of elementary school mentees across the southeast. TEEN TRENDSETTERS™ is designed to be an easily replicated, cost-effective and results-oriented program focused on improving reading skills and nurturing the spirit of community service among our youth.

To our knowledge, there are few programs like ours - designed specifically to help low-performing and at-risk second and third graders, a critical time period when many students are preparing to take their first standardized test. The program has proven so successful, it has received national acclaim, winning the prestigious Harris Wofford Award for best youth program.

TEEN TRENDSETTERS™ exists when - and only when - teens take on the challenge to form and lead this voluntary mentoring program. Each week, 15-25 teens from an individual high school mentor elementary students during or after school. They use a 45-minute curriculum, developed by Volunteer USA in partnership with Scholastic. Along with the curriculum, we provide 9-14 books that go home with the elementary school student throughout the year, so that parents can help reinforce a love of reading.

We've packaged the age-old concept of mentoring into a dynamic program teens and educators love. In fact, during the past six months, TEEN TRENDSETTERS™ has expanded into 12 new states and opened at 30 new schools. Our growth is continuing at a phenomenal pace; with plans to expand to another 30 high schools in the upcoming academic year.

See our Latest Teen Trendsetters™ Ad in Florida Trend

 


Calling all Teen Trendsetters(TM!) Please become a facebook friend. This is a great place to post your latest and greatest tips and photos about your mentoring experienced! We encourage you to share ideas and questions with other high school Teen Trendsetters from across the southeast. Sign up now!

Teen Trendsetters™ Recognized for Excellence in Leadership As School Year Comes to a Close

Comcast

Volunteer USA's Teen Trendsetters™ Reading Mentors are enjoying final reading sessions with their young mentees as the end of the school year approaches. In addition, the best of the best teens are being honored this month throughout the southeast. The students, who all volunteer to mentor third-graders for one-on-one weekly mentoring sessions, have a goal is to improve the basic reading skills of the younger students and to nurture a volunteer spirit among youth leaders.

The teens were selected based on their outstanding work in mentoring and their overall leadership qualities. The students have excelled with their young mentees, as well as in their overall leadership qualities. They each received a certificate of excellence from Volunteer USA and our key sponsors Comcast and Florida Power & Light. Click here for a list of winners.

Comcast
State Farm Volunteer USA Foundation thanks Comcast for serving as our premier Teen Trendsetters™ Sponsor. We also thank State Farm's Youth Advisory Board for being a founding partner.


AAA

Teen Trendsetters™ program sponsor.