Mentors and mentees in the SMILES (Southcoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service) mentoring program (a program of People, Incorporated) at the Matthew J. Kuss Middle School matched themselves through a process that concluded during their third session together on October 25, 2010. New mentees had the chance to get to know potential mentors through a series of games designed to illuminate likes and dislikes and personality styles. SMILES staff observed interactions and allowed mentors and new mentees to give input on who they would be paired with. Mentees who had been with mentors during the previous year could also elect to stay with the same mentor for another year. Weekly sessions are scheduled throughout the year to offer mentors and mentees the chance to get to know each other better and form strong bonds designed to keep mentees invested in their schools. "I've seen some very strong friendships develop in this program" commented Fall River SMILES Operations Manager Katje Fuson. "It's the strength of these relationships that provide a powerful incentive for these children to stay in school and succeed," she added. Click here for pictures from last year's SMILES program at Kuss. For more information about the program or to volunteer to serve as a mentor in other programs, call (508) 999-9300 or e-mail Nicole Almeida at nalmeida@smilesmentoring.org.

(Top row, left) Mentor Jenny DiBlasi reveals the name of a food to mentee Vanessa who was challenged to guess the word by asking yes or no questions. (Top row, center) Mentee Kaysha quizzes mentor Lisa during the exercise. (Top row, right) Citizens-Union Savings Bank (CUSB) CEO Nicholas Christ, center, quizzes fellow mentors Carole and Ken Fiola about the rules of the game at the start of the exercise. (Middle row, center) Ms. DiBlasi is matched up with Vanessa at the end of the exercise. (Middle row, right) Kaysha meets with her second year mentor Carole Fiola. (Bottom row, left) Mentee Tori expresses surprise as she learns what the sign on her back says. (Bottom row, center) Mentors Sue Dias-Cordeiro and Catarina Bauer help mentee Michael guess the word taped on his back. (Bottom row, right) Ms.Bauer meets with her mentee, Tori, at the end of the exercise.