Correspondence must take place at least three times a week. Projects vary from helping students develop classroom math or science-related research projects, to exploring math or science careers, to working on weekly math problems. The WWW-based CoVis Mentor Database enables teachers to match these volunteers with teams in their classrooms for mentoring relationships spanning weeks or months. The mentor enters constructive comments which are automatically returned, either to the student or teacher. For example, in Concord, New Hampshire, lawyers in a local law firm mentor 6th grade students in writing.
Mentors become involved with a school as a partner in designing meaningful curricular activities.
For example, a retired postal worker served as a mentor who worked with her team to determine the most time-efficient post office networks serving populations of over 50,000 in a ten state area. During the school term, five additional hands-on workshops are scheduled. In developing the project, literature by Judi Harris of the Electronic Emissary was used. Over three years, the project has reached 19 schools in six states.