The Future is Now
In 2017, Essi Adouku was one of the first students to participate in Lion’s Pride Mentoring programming. In these moments, the organization was building up to its 501c3 status through proactive and hands-on leadership development for students. Back then, Jasmine, our Executive Director, envisioned a future where Lion’s Pride Mentoring would expand to serve more students and the organization could watch former students grow. That growth was solidified as Essi walked across the stage this May, and brought Jasmine with her as an honorary doctoral degree recipient at Grinnell College.
5 Year Strategic Plan
Lion’s Pride Mentoring has provided quality peer mentorship programming on the South and West sides of Chicago for nearly a decade. The organization has critically analyzed the data from years before to create a targeted and intentional strategic plan to be executed over the next 5 years. This strategic plan incorporates five key strategic directions.
Beyond the Classroom
Lion’s Pride Mentoring is a peer mentoring program that prioritizes social-emotional and leadership development at various phases. Along with the opportunities presented during regular programming, former students can take advantage of many workshops, mentorships, and internships in their years beyond high school. Three of our former Lion’s Pride students, Darvesha, Adami, and Moussa, exemplify the long-term benefits of being involved in Lion’s Pride.
The “Summery”
The work of educators does not end once the final bell before summer rings. Principals, deans, teachers, and support staff utilize their summers to train themselves and prepare their buildings for the next school year. Some teachers are busy facilitating summer school to ensure our scholars can remain on track to graduate. While teachers prepare themselves and their students, Lion’s Pride Mentoring does the same. The summer was jam-packed with impactful work, from recruitment to fundraising and networking to student-centered programming.
Doing the Work Daily, Celebrating Women in Education
During Women’s History Month, the community is reminded that women in education propel future generations into success. The educational field employs a majority of women in teaching and school staff roles. Recently, Lion’s Pride Mentoring did a social media post featuring five women who have moved and inspired the organization’s mission and work as educational collaborators.