MassHousing recently held its 26th Year-End Awards Ceremony for fourth-grade students participating in the S.T.A.R.R. Mentor Program.
The unique Striving Toward Academic Recognition and Respect Mentor (S.T.A.R.R.) Program involves MassHousing staff mentoring students at the Martin Luther King K-8 Inclusion School in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.
Some mentors work in the classroom with the students once a week to help support mathematics and reading skills development, while other mentors donate time for special projects or to take the students on educational field trips and other fun-filled activities.
Twenty-five MLK School students received academic and leadership awards at this year's ceremony. Special guests included MLK's Principal Khita Pottinger, classroom teachers, former mentors, community supporters and other MassHousing staff. The Roxbury Youth Orchestra performed for the ceremony.
MassHousing's S.T.A.R.R. mentors this year were Carmen Beato, Norman Brown, Bradley Day, Kamar Calixte, Colleen Doyle, James Fortune, Charlene Hollins, Mike Kilgannon, Katrina Holman, Linda Lam, Kathy Moore, Mildred Mukasa, Richard Nicks, George Ovins, Melanie Semedo, Monte Stanford, Carl Richardson and Judy Thomas.
"The long-standing success of this program is the result of the unwavering commitment of the mentors," said Patricia Weems, MassHousing's Manager of Diversity and Inclusion Programs, who coordinates S.T.A.R.R.
"We work as a dedicated group of mentors who share in the belief that each student has the potential to achieve his or her best," Weems told the students.