New mentors and mentees in the SMILES (Southcoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service) mentoring program (a program of People, Incorporated) met in the cafeteria of the Kuss Middle School on April 29, 2013 to compete in an egg drop contest. Each of the mentee-mentor pairs was given materials to construct a device that would prevent a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a height of seven feet to the hard floor below. Mentors and mentees teamed up to come up with a variet of clever devices that were thought to protect the fragile egg when dropped. "It's a great bonding exercise to have the mentors and mentees work together to solve a problem," noted SMILES Group Leader Jonathan St Pierre. Weekly SMILES mentoring sessions take place throughout the year to offer mentors and mentees the chance to get to form strong bonds designed to keep mentees invested in their schools. Click here for a three-minute video of the event. For more information about the program or to volunteer to serve as a mentor in other programs, For more information, e-mail Heidi Bedard or call 774-627-2438.

(Top row, left) Austin talks with his mentor, Ron Banville, while Leo waits to ask a question. (Top row, center) Leo and Madeline look over their materials while mentor Scott Lopes advises them. (Top row, right) Dezmond works on the project with his mentor, Jack Yates. (Row two, left) Mentor Dawn Christiansen works with mentee Madeline. (Row two, right) Leo gets some assistance from Mentor Scott Lopes. (Row three, left) Ron Banville gives Austin some final pointers. (Row three, center and right) SMILES Group Leader Jonathan St Pierre holds a measuring tape before Dezmond climbs a chair to get is egg to the requesite seven foot make for the drop. (Bottom row) Dezmond lets his egg drob with somewhat disappointing results while Ausin is happy with his results and shows off his winning eggs.