Mentoring and Adult Relationships (MAR) District Initiative

December 3, 2025

Mentoring and Adult Relationships (MAR)District Initiative

Sophia Rudisill-Holmes | 2022

Abstract

Caring adult relationships provide a safe, brave space for young people to unpack life as they navigate complex systems, manage change and make decisions. Being seen, known, and loved can provide the confidence needed to persist and develop self-efficacy. Research suggests, “1 in 3 young people in the U.S. will reach the age of 19 without having a mentor. This is the mentoring gap in the United States^[1].” Mentoring is critical to strengthening the positive outcomes of a young person’s opportunities and access to any path they choose.

The Mentoring andAdult Relationships (MAR) Initiative is designed to impact a district-wide strategy to ensure that over 77 thousand Baltimore City Public School students have a caring adult supporting them. The project included the strategic planning and implementation of an initiative in an urban school district. Specifically practiced through strategy development, management, and support for City Schools’ mentoring and other adult relationships initiatives, ensuring that every student has adults and a support plan enabling them to be linked to post-secondary opportunities after high school completion. The data analysis of the mentoring landscape in Baltimore, aligned with proven local and national practices paired with stakeholder feedback, informed adjustments to the initial strategic plan, and improved implementation.

As the initiative lead, I designed the strategic plan to lay the foundation of ensuring internal district alignment, a feasible infrastructure, the relaunching of a district-led mentoring program, and the scoping of other possible programmatic strategies by June 2022. Consequently, the formation of a team and strategy launched in four (4) phases in the first four months, supported by data analysis and strategic planning, implementation, coordination of sustainable and streamlined infrastructure, and a base for codifying scalable outputs.

^[1] Advocacy resources. MENTOR. (2021, December 16). Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.mentoring.org/resource/advocacy-resources/

Request Information

"*" indicates required fields

Company

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Online or On Campus*

Online

On Campus

On Campus Degree Type*

Online Degree Type*

Choose a Program*

This program is designed for registered nurses looking to advance their degree. A valid, unencumbered RN license is required to apply.

RN License Confirmation*

I currently hold a valid RN license

Don't have your RN license yet? Explore other Regent programs.

High School Graduation*

Are you an employee or the spouse/dependent of an employee?*

Employee

Spouse/Dependent

Are you a JCI USA member or benefitted employee, or the spouse/dependent of an employee?*

Employee/Member

Spouse/Dependent

Email Address*

Company*

Agency*

Employee's Company*

Employee's Agency*

Company Email Address*

Agency Email Address*

Your Email Address*

Employee's Company Email Address*

Employee's Agency Email Address*

Employee's First Name*

Employee/Member's First Name*

Employee's Last Name*

Employee/Member's Last Name*

Your Email Address*

First Name*

Last Name*

I live outside the US

Address*