January marks National Mentoring Month and, as it comes to an end, FOX 17 is talking with someone who spends his time helping students – showing the meaningful impact mentors can have and the benefits kids get by working with them.
Xavier Martin has been a lifelong member of the Boys and Girls Club in Grand Rapids.
National Mentoring Month: Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids
Now, at 31 years old, he is a mentor and educator at the Paul I. Phillips Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids.
“I grew up literally on the southeast side on Eastern and Burton. The nearest Boys and Girls Club is the Steil Center, which is the Seidman Center that is over on Madison, towards that area,” Martin said.
First, Martin and his mentees start with affirmations – words he hopes will stick with them well after they leave the club.
“I want them to close their eyes so they can visualize the words, the affirmations that we say which are, ‘you’re great. You are important. You do mean something,’ and ‘you are phenomenal,’” he shared.