A new national study has concluded that disadvantaged teens under mentorship are twice as likely than non-mentored teens to enter into college.

The study was authorized by Lance Erkison, professor of sociology at Brigham Young University. According to the research, a youth’s potential can be determined by the social enviornment that surrounds them. As a result, tennagers growing up in unstable environments may have less opportunity to reach their full potential. Yet, if a positive mentor can intervene, he or she has the ability to reverse negative influences and guide the youth in a more positive direction.

The most encouraging news is that mentors do not have to be a formal influence. Most students who took part in the study revealed that their mentor was not a school official, but a informal influence. The research showed that with over 14,000 students claiming to have a mentor, only 7% of the mentors were teachers.

Teachers are a great influence on a student, but they cannot be given the entirely responsibility. The community is a great resource to reach out to students and act as positive guidance. Mentoring has been proven to be effective with student’s lives, and it is a critical component in youth development.

Erickson, Lance. “Informal Mentors and Trajectories of Antisocial Behaviors” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Aug 11, 2006 <Not Available>. 2009-05-25 <http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p103173_index.html>

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