To get approval for the position with Eastern's Career Center, she wrote a job description and provided a description of the proposed program. She also lobbied for three other work-study positions to be funded in connection with the program, and already has filled two of these slots. Mentor Diane Lee is a junior majoring in education and Eric Galinger is a freshman who wants to go into either nursing or teaching. We think it's a great connection we've made between Eastern and the community. And the school district has been very supportive.
Mentors try to apply academic knowledge to skills and interests the students already have.
If one boy likes bowling, they will take all the students bowling and discuss the principles of math and physics involved in bowling. Bumpas notes that most children score very well when they take standardized career potential tests. A junior at Eastern, Bumpas is pursuing a business degree. She hopes after graduation to implement programs like this in business settings so children with negative upbringings can learn about and have futures in the working world. She might also go on at Eastern for a teaching certificate.