Mentors are leaders who teach teens to lead

When I was young – oh how I wished – that I had a mentor who would have helped me to gain direction in my life, to increase my self-confidence, and to develop my leadership skills. After all, my dad wasn’t around much in the early years and my mother suffered from mental illness. The mental illness sometimes hindered her ability to effectively take care of us kids.

I was fortunate to have passed through childhood, having pretty much made the right decisions. I will say that one of my sisters wasn’t so fortunate.

There are presently more than 4,000 kids and teens in Michigan who need mentors. There is a special need for men to serve as mentors, and an extra special need for men of color to do so.

Because of the need that I had as a child, I decided that I would be a mentor. I found out about Art of Leadership Foundation through United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s online volunteer matching system, Volunteer Solutions.

Art of Leadership coaches children from 6th grade through 12th grade on developing qualities of leadership, such as having integrity, taking responsibility and giving back to others. In essence, ALF inspires vision and leadership in young people, giving them the skills to succeed in their lives and to be leaders in the community.

I began in January coaching six Detroit high school students who have, for the most part, been with the program since they were in 6th grade. These are not at-risk kids. They are instead kids who are motivated to succeed. But they need our help.

Art of Leadership’s Jazmine McBride and myself recently met with our team of teens who are in the middle of putting together a talent show. At this meeting, the teens took responsibility for securing the location of where the talent show will take place and for finding the show’s performers.

Jeff Baytarian and Jazmine McBride coaching teens during a

Saturday morning session through Art of Leadership Foundation.

After our individual team meetings, all of the teams of students got together to practice their impromptu public speaking skills. I facilitated this session with about 30 teens. I have seen many of them move from not knowing what to say before a group, to becoming confident in their speaking skills.

Jeff Baytarian instructs one of the teams on impromptu speaking.

After the public speaking session, Jazmine facilitated a session adapted from an exercise shown on Oprah. This session helped the teens to open up. Everyone responded to the phrase, “If you really knew me, then you would know that ______.” Many of the students let down their guard during the exercise.

We had a great meeting. I certainly got as much out of it as did the teens. I will end with the “ask.” Please consider being a mentor.

Jeff Baytarian
Campaign Manager
Resource Development