Ridgewood High School senior Erica Sticha goes through a role-playing exercise during a mentor training workshop at the Eisenhower Public Library on Friday.
(Curtis Lehmkuhl/Staff Photographer)

Ridgewood Public Relations spokeswoman Carol Valentino Barry said the mentor training is for current and new mentors and for juniors and seniors.

Tiffany Lewis (left) and Ridgewood High School senior Jenny Kay Rohde go through a role-play scenario involving self esteem during a mentor training program at the Eisenhower Public Library on Friday.
(Curtis Lehmkuhl/Staff Photographer)

"This year we're going to be partnering with Northeastern Illinois University and working with their students also," Barry said. "So, it's kind of begun to blossom this year with new energy and new interest."

Ridgewood High School junior Isabella Chmura runs through a role-playing exercise dealing with procrastination with Nuccio D'Angento of Vince's Italian Food during a mentor training program at Eisenhower Public Library on Friday.
(Curtis Lehmkuhl/Staff Photographer)

Barry said the group is working on two things: goal setting and self talk.

"Self talk is the piece that actually proceeds goal setting insomuch as you need to have control of your emotions and your behavior before you can get yourself to set goals and follow through on them," she said.

Professional therapist Terry London talks with Ridgewood High School seniors and juniors during a mentor training program at Eisenhower Public Library on Friday.
(Curtis Lehmkuhl/Staff Photographer)

Led by professional therapist Terry London, the mentors present at the training session included Norridge Chief of Public Safety Charles Ghiloni, Tiffany Lewis from Eisenhower Library, Jackie Blend from Carsten's, Nuccio D'Argento from Vince's Italian Restaurant, Harwood Heights Mayor Arlene Jezierny and Trustee Therese Schuepfer.

During the session, London used pairs of volunteers in different role-playing scenarios.

Ridgewood High School snior Erica Sticha goes through a role-playing exercise during a mentor training workshop at the Eisenhower Public Library on Friday.
(Curtis Lehmkuhl/Staff Photographer)

In the first scenario about problem solving, Blend and Ridgewood senior Erica Sticha discussed Sticha trying to get a $10 loan given to someone else repaid.

An option concluded from the problem-solving was receiving $5 by the next Friday and another $5 later.

In the next scenario, D'Argento discussed the problem of having to work on a lot of paperwork with Ridgewood junior year student Isabela Chmura talking to him about it.

After discussing the issue, Chmura suggested doing the work in segments, taking breaks in between.

Article written by Craig A. Whitney on Thursday, August 12, 2010 for the Pioneer Press Norridge and Harwood Heights News and online at http://www.pioneerlocal.com/norridge/news/2579506,norridge-mentor-081210-s1.article#.

Ridgewood High School junior Chelsea Diaz of Harwood Heights (left) packs a meal for a homeless shelter May 4, 2010, with volunteer Suzy Ghuneim of Norridge.
(Buzz Orr/Staff Photographer)

In a pay-it-forward spirit, students from two class periods helped to make sandwiches for The Night Ministry, located in Chicago.

Ridgewood High School freshmen Ana Castro (from left), Kayla Hidalgo and junior Kari Hajduk make sandwiches May 4, 2010 with freshman Eleni Kaldis (right) for a homeless shelter in Chicago.
(Buzz Orr/Staff Photographer)

"This is the freshmen goal-setting and mentoring group," explained school public relations spokeswoman Carol Valentino Barry. "As part of the mentoring, we also want the students to help others."

Working in an assembly line, some students used a long table to make cold cut and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which were placed in sandwich bags.

Ridgewood High School students made 220 sandwiches May 4, 2010, for The Night Ministry.
(Buzz Orr/Staff Photographer)

Other students stationed at smaller tables bagged cookies and pretzels, which were placed in a lunch bag with the sandwiches. A fruit cup as well as a spoon and napkin were then added to each lunch bag before being put in boxes.

Barry said she joined the Ridgewood juniors later that night to deliver the food to The Night Ministry.

While packing Oreo cookies, freshman Petar Junkovic said, "I just wanted to help out the less fortunate. I just wanted to give back a little bit."

Target donated water and fruit cups, Barry said. Kmart donated napkins and water, and students donated bread loaves and money.

Barry said Nuccio D'Argento from Vince's Italian Restaurant was really helpful in organizing the project, donating the cardboard boxes and butcher paper and donating his time by helping to set up the assembly line and the menu. The first team made more 100 sandwiches in 10 minutes.

The students made 220 sandwiches total to send to The Night Ministry.

Barry said the students have been mentored since November.

"Mentoring them not just a transition way but a supportive way," she said. "Kids fall through the cracks. Parents are busy, teachers are busy, everybody is so busy that it's near impossible to get all the important pieces that we want for our kids.

"So mentors help out bringing them into 'Where are you academically?' 'What are you goals?' And moving them forward."

Barry said some of the juniors and seniors mentored young children at Eisenhower Public Library.

Physical education and music and art division head Eileen McGing said the project was a good way for freshmen to start getting involved.

"I think it's a good opportunity for the kids to do some service work within the school," McGing said. "They didn't have to leave. Everything's provided for them. They donated some money and contributed to the supplies, and then they just did the labor, so I just think it's a nice opportunity for them."

Diane O'Callaghan, a volunteer, said she thought the sandwich making project was great and acknowledged being a little surprised that all three of her freshmen mentoring boys showed up.

O'Callaghan also said she was impressed with the turnout.

"Obviously, you can never start too young giving back," she said.

Barry compared the sandwich making project to planning a wedding.

"It's more work than you think it's going to be," she said. "But the payoff is almost better than I thought it was going to be. I didn't know that all of these kids were going to get into it."

Barry said it was definitely worth it and could not have done it without everybody's help.

"When we started doing it there was definitely an energy that you rarely feel except when people are coming together for a cause."

Article written by Craig A. Whitney on Thursday, May 13, 2010 for the Pioneer Press Norridge and Harwood Heights News and online at http://www.pioneerlocal.com/norridge/news/2245060,norridge-homeless-051310-s1.article.

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BE A RIDGEWOOD MENTOR . . . and TOUCH A LIFE.

CAN YOU HELP?
AWARD STORY: Ridgewood’s Goalsetting/Mentoring program has been nationally recognized, winning the National Civic Star (NCA) Award in 2006. The NCA Award recognizes that the vitality of a community is intricately linked to its schools in educating children to be productive citizens

BACK-STORY: Ridgewood’s goalsetting and mentoring program has been going strong for over a decade. In fact, we’ve been recognized across the country and won the National Civic Star Award for the goalsetting and mentoring program.

CURRENT STORY: We are restructuring the mentoring program and will be working with freshman students for the entire school year. We need more mentors - parents, community members, staff, business partners, municipal employees, retirees, alums and more.

A Mentor Is . . .

• A caring adult making a personal commitment to be involved with 4-6 students for 90 minutes once a month for one school year.
  
• Someone who cares, listens, and offers encouragement.
  
• An ordinary person, just like you. Mentors come from all walks of life and will receive training on an ongoing basis.