Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” -- Proverbs 17:17 New International Version
At Binkley, we believe God calls us to be friends to each other. Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate supports a very special kind of friendship, matching adult mentors with students of color in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. BRMA also provides enrichment and scholarship opportunities, in addition to tutoring, as part of the district’s efforts to improve African-American and Latino student achievement.
BRMA mentees start out in the fourth grade and the program matches them with a mentor (possibly different mentors) until they graduate from the program. In high school, BRMA offers a servant leadership program called the Youth Leadership Institute helping students develop leadership skills and participate in community service activities. Once students graduate from high school, they are given scholarship assistance for post-secondary education opportunities.
The BRMA experience makes an impact on both the lives of students and of adult mentors. BRMA has given students the opportunity to travel as far as New Orleans and Ghana for service learning. Students have been blessed with opportunities varying from a week at camp to a backpack of school supplies. And 90% of mentors maintain their relationship with their student for longer than two years.
The partnership between Binkley and BRMA began with Binkley members volunteering as mentors and also because many mentees live in the nearby South Estes community. Current mentors include Binkley members Claudia Templeton and Kristen Smith. Let us know if you’d like to be a mentor or a tutor – we know you’d make a great one! Contact Kristen Smith at for more information about the program.