A new service project began in the winter term: the Neighborhood Leadership Encouragement and Development Program (LEAD). LEAD differs from other Dartmouth Community Service mentoring programs in that it includes an after class structured leadership curriculum. The LEAD program is open only to children living in the Romano Circle public housing project in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.
Of twenty-three children living at Romano Circle, ALL are active and enthusiastic participants in the program. Each child has either a Lebanon High School or Dartmouth student assigned as a leadership development mentor. The fifty participants in the program meet weekly as a group, and the positive energy in the room is remarkable. The program has received tremendous support from the Lebanon Housing Authority, as well as school officials and Romano Circle parents. As a gesture of their support and appreciation for the program, the parents are planning a barbecue for the LEAD volunteers and the Tucker Foundation staff in the spring.
In addition to the weekly meeting, the participants visit campus for monthly special events. Past special events have included: a football game with the Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity, a women's hockey game with the Alpha Psi Delta sorority, as well as participating in "Kids, College, and Community: A Cultural Extravaganza" sponsored by the Tucker Foundation through a generous grant from the Class of '51.
When returning home from watching a Dartmouth Men's Basketball game, one of the kids told Catherine Ware '00, a LEAD volunteer, "Thank you so much, you just made my week." Discussions with all participants indicate that these interactions are highlights for everyone involved. As in each of the mentorship programs, the impact of the relationship tends to have a powerful impact upon the lives of both participants, mentor and student. Project volunteers benefit from the opportunity to share their experiences and make a difference in the life of a child, and the children develop relationships that may significantly influence their future, and broaden their horizons.
The Neighborhood LEAD Program is the result of a unique collaboration between the Tucker Foundation, the Office of Student Life, the Lebanon Housing Authority, Learn & Serve New Hampshire AmeriCorps, and Campus Compact for New Hampshire. To date, over one-hundred Dartmouth volunteers have met, played, smiled and positively impacted the lives of each the LEAD kids. Through LEAD, the Dartmouth volunteers have the opportunity to experience life outside of Hanover, the high school volunteers can meet Dartmouth students, and the children receive the benefits of both worlds.
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