About Needham Steps Up

Needham Steps Up (formerly Steps to Success) is a mentoring program based at Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts, which pairs a caring staff member with a student who could benefit from one-to-one mentoring. Students who are selected for the Needham Steps Up program must be eligible for free or reduced lunch. 

Each student in the Needham Steps Up program is matched with a dedicated Needham High staff member who becomes the student’s mentor for three years. Mentors meet frequently with the students and guide them through a wide range of experiences—from course selection to navigating social issues, visiting local museums, and getting involved in the community. Mentors help students set goals, monitor progress, and approach their teachers when academics are challenging. The mentors also provide critical assistance with the college application process.

The mentor is paid a stipend that is used for mentor/mentee activities and compensation for time as a mentor. On average, $3,600 funds one student for three years of mentoring, and an additional $500 provides enrichment activities (e.g., summer camp, music lessons, or school trips) over the three years.

The program is not dependent on outside volunteers but rather on adults who work in the school, who understand high school teens, and who have the access to make a difference in these students’ lives. Mentors are valued and supported, and commit three years of their time to the program.

The mentoring program provides an opportunity for students to become part of a smaller, supportive community within the high school and gives them access to the resources and opportunities that may be more readily available to their peers.  It is a way to establish equity in the high school community.

 

Since its inception, the program has improved the lives and futures of many students at Needham High School.