Youth Mentoring Program Praised at End of Summer Social

FALLS CHURCH, VA - Boat People SOS' (BPSOS) Educational and Recreational Activities Program for Youth-Mentoring held its end of the summer social this past weekend. The social took place on Sunday, August 24, 2003 at the Mason District Governmental Center. Attendees enjoyed authentic Vietnamese food and saw cultural performances by the students, which included a customary Lion Dance, traditional Fashion Show, and humorous depiction of a folk tale. Among the distinguished guests in attendance were Ruth Tringo, Program Analyst for the U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Penelope A. Gross, Supervisor for Fairfax County's Mason District; as well as over 30 friends and family members of the program's participants.

"The goal is to foster and cultivate teamwork, team spirit, and most importantly to improve their academic performance under the guidance of a mentor," stated Bach Pham, who manages the program.
In her welcome speech, Supervisor Gross added, "I think what you're doing today in celebrating the mentoring of young people is so very commendable. [We] pledge to you that we will continue to work for after school programs and mentoring programs for our youth."

"A mentor is a very special person," commented Tringo. "Mentoring is no easy job. [BPSOS] had to identify people who were trustworthy, who were good models, people who had a record that was exemplary, and people who the students would relate to. They did it very well." She added, "We will be looking at [BPSOS] perhaps as a model because it is already beginning to succeed after one year."

As an extension of the Educational and Recreational Activities (ERA) program, BPSOS-Falls Church established the ERA-Mentoring program in October of 2002 with funding from the Department of Education. Other ERA programs are already in existence at BPSOS branch offices such as Adelphi, MD; Camden, NJ; Atlanta, GA; New Orleans, LA; and Washington, DC. At these sites, after-school tutorial programs, cultural and recreational activities, field trips, and computer literacy are offered to Vietnamese youth.