WAVE Youth Leadership
ABOUT US
WAVE: We All Value Excellence
Vision (WHY)
We exist to help school districts accelerate the academic achievement of all students, particularly the low performing and underperforming students and to improve students’ values, ethics, and character-driven leadership.
Mission (HOW)
We provide interactive and engaging student development programs to ensure students develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for effective communication, leadership, and positive social change.
Core Values (WHAT)
- Express Care: Show me that I matter to you
- Challenge Growth: Push me to keep getting better
- Provide Support: Help me complete tasks and complete goals
- Share Power: Treat me with respect and give me a say
- Expand Possibilities: Connect me with people and places that broaden my horizon
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT
“Relationships are at the heart of what youth need to learn, grow, and thrive.”
----Search Institute
“Supportive relationships are critical ‘mediums’ of development. They provide an environment of reinforcement, good modeling, and constructive feedback for physical, intellectual, and social growth.”— National Research Council1
The Developmental Relationship Framework
Source: Search Institute
Young people who have a mentor:
55%
more likely to enroll in college
78%
more likely to volunteer regularly
90%
are interested in becoming a mentor
130%
more likely to hold leadership positions.
High levels of absenteeism (Kennelly & Monrad, 2007)
Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class. (Public/Private Ventures Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters)
Youth who meet regularly with their mentors are:
- 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking. (Public/Private Ventures study of Big Brothers Big Sisters)
I would like for you to close your eyes for a few seconds, now imagine when you were a little child and you had that adult in your life that provided you with comfort, guidance, mentorship and a listening ear. Now, I want you to imagine another child who doesn’t have an adult meaningful relationship. No one to help them learn how to be a good communicator, how to be a great leader, how to have a positive mental attitude.
Now open your eyes and imagine ever student having a set of Ambassadors who are impacting their lives all over the country, in fact, all over the world. We know that students who have adult meaningful relationships are:
- 55% more likely to enroll in college
- 78% more likely to volunteer regularly
- 90% are interested in becoming a mentor
- 130% more likely to hold leadership positions.
It’s time to catch the WAVE. It’s time We All Value Excellence.
A WAVE Youth Ambassador will:
- Express Care
- Challenge Growth
- Provide Support
- Share Power
- Expand Possibilities
A WAVE Ambassador will teach students from 3rd - 12th grade and help them learn how to:
- Set Goal
- Dream BIG
- And live outside their comfort zone
Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges, and makes them feel like they matter.
Relationships are at the heart of what youth need to learn, grow, and thrive.
