When Christine Jones pops her head into the class at Bel-Aire Elementary School, one child’s smile lights up the room. He runs to her, bursting to tell her about his week as they head to the cafeteria for lunch. The pair sits at the tablecloth-covered “special table,” set aside for visiting parents, grandparents, and, in this case, beloved mentors.
Jones is the associate pastor at King’s Cross Church and the current director of Kids Hope USA at Bel-Aire. Kids Hope USA partners with churches and schools to equip mentors for elementary students in need of some extra confidence. The organization provides resources to help students in need grow emotionally, socially, and academically. Kids Hope conducts background checks on King’s Cross members who seek mentorship roles. These mentors get to spend an hour per week with the students, building connections and pouring into their lives. It is a big commitment, but Jones says the kids thrive having a consistent, trustworthy person show up for them.
Last year, Scott Claybrook, lead pastor at King’s Cross Church, initiated the program at Bel-Aire Elementary — one of three schools nearby that King’s Cross supports in various ways, from teacher appreciation to campus cleanup projects.
“Our mission is to help people find wholeness because we believe whole people can change the whole world,” Claybrook said. “We believe that whole-person transformation happens best in relationships, and Kids Hope is a wonderful tool in helping us build meaningful relationships.”
Dr. Clint Epley, the principal at Bel-Aire, agreed. Epley was supportive but preferred to start small for the first year.
“I think they were worried, thinking, ‘Are they really going to show up?’” said Jones, and rightfully so.
The school had experienced a lack of follow-through from others in the past. It took time to gain trust and demonstrate that they were dependable partners. After getting Bel-Aire on board, Claybrook and his wife, Joy, met with the school board for final approval.
Obtaining approval was one of many hurdles to getting the program off the ground. King’s Cross also needed to create a working schedule with the teachers, who were concerned about losing valuable instruction time. They remedied this by giving mentors 30 minutes for lunch with students and another half hour before or after. Students were thrilled to share a meal with their mentors and get a short break from class to play games and work on social and interpersonal skills.
Pairing students with the right mentors was an intentional process. Jones worked with the school’s guidance counselor, Amber Miller, to place mentors with students based on strengths, common interests, and personalities. Miller was essential to this process as she was familiar with the students and their individual needs. After much deliberation, the children were assigned mentors who have since become trusted advisors and friends. Jones continues to work carefully to make sure the program has a positive impact on the staff, the mentors, and the students.
“I owe a huge thanks to Christine for taking this on. She’s done a phenomenal job, and it’s been a pleasure to work with her … I look forward to continuing the program next year,” Miller stated.
Jones is quick to admit that while mentoring is a joy, it can also be hard. The school started with five students and five mentors but ended with just three. Two students left for different reasons.
“They were both hard situations and just heartbreaking,” Jones said.
The students who stayed in the program for the full year, however, absolutely soared.
At the end of the school year, Jones asked her student, “What was your favorite thing from this school year?”
The student grinned and replied, “Well … it starts with a ‘C’!”
“‘C’ for Christine,” Jones clarified emotionally.
The principal, teachers, and guidance counselor all note a positive shift in the participating students.
Miller said, “This program is like a beacon of light for our students … The smiles on their faces when their mentors come to spend time with them says it all.”
Jones hopes other churches in Tullahoma will partner with Kids Hope USA to benefit more children in Tullahoma. She recommended churches contact Kids Hope directly to ensure they agree with the guidelines of the program before contacting schools.
Jones believes it is a fantastic program for everyone involved, and Miller agreed, “I dare say, I think the mentors get as much out of it as the students do!” GN
