Los Angeles Unified to partner students with mentors through new initiative

Los Angeles Unified is launching a new initiative to get students connected with mentors, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho announced Friday. Everyone Mentors Los Angeles will connect students with individuals across the L.A. area.

The district has currently partnered with 12 organizations across Los Angeles, including nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters, with the goal of providing LAUSD’s 27,000 most vulnerable students with mentors. Students targeted with the initiative are those who are struggling academically and are struggling with a range of issues, including mental health issues, family instability and housing and food insecurity, Carvalho said at a press conference Friday. 

“One powerful thing based on conversations with a lot of these students and their teachers and their principals is this, and this is their voice: ‘If I had someone, please show me a better way; if I had someone who would wake me up in the morning; if I had someone who would play ball with me,” Carvalho said.

Currently, LAUSD is launching the initiative by connecting the first 500 students with employees from across the district, including board president Jackie Goldberg, who was at the Friday press conference.

“Mentors will do whatever it is that a youngster needs to feel honored, to feel valued, to feel loved, to feel that someone’s taking their time to spend with them because they love them and care about them,” she said.