As students returned to school following the height of the pandemic, local middle school principals reported seeing “behaviors they’ve never seen before,” according to Big Brothers, Big Sisters Metro Atlanta.
That’s when the organization stepped in to help students positively adjust to the post-pandemic world. Last year, BBBS Metro Atlanta launched the “Level Up: Future-Focused In-School Mentoring” program. It’s currently offered in Atlanta Public Schools, and some DeKalb County schools and it provides small group and one-on-one in-school mentoring.
In its first year, BBBS Metro Atlanta reported that 94% of students had a trusted adult in their lives, 99% of students avoided the juvenile justice system, 82% of students had decreased or no depressive symptoms, and 74% of students had consistent or improved educational expectations.
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