Strip away the syllabus, exams, labs, papers and projects. Push aside GPAs and ACTs. Hush the chimes for class changes and bells for dismissal.

The core of school is community — relationships of all kinds: coincidental and intentional, casual and formal. Layers of support through naturally occurring and programmatic mentorship give students a support network that enriches their academic experience and prepares them for life beyond 12th grade.

Mentorship matters

This is nothing new. However, schools across Northeast Ohio have taken a closer look at how structured mentorship programs benefit students’ social-emotional growth and success.

“Exposure to different voices leads to bigger thinking, and it goes back to, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know,’” says Andrew Cruse, director of th

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