10th annual mentor-mentee dinner held at Baldwin HS

This year marked the 10th anniversary of Baldwin Senior High School’s extremely successful mentoring program. At an event attended by some 300 people on June 9 in the high school gymnasium, parents, mentors, mentees, faculty members, administrators and local legislators gathered to share their memories and observations. The fun-filled and at times emotional meeting featured speeches from both mentors and mentees who addressed their trials and success stories.

The mentoring program was founded in 2001 by Mrs. Pat Banhazl, Mentoring Coordinator for Baldwin High School, and started with only five students and mentors. Since, then the program has grown tremendously to include over 120 participants, including assistant Mentoring Coordinator, Ms. Helen Kanellopoulos.

The program consists of weekly meetings between mentors and mentees who spend at least an hour together talking about school, work, and the other things going on in their lives. Participants in the program also engage in field trips, breakfasts, and, of course, the annual dinner.

Although the evening’s celebrations marked the end of the official program for some mentor/mentee pairings, the remarks made on June 9 indicated that the relationships forged through the program would continue into the future. Everyone agreed that although high school might be over for some students, the connections they made through the mentoring program would last a lifetime.

Comments about this story? CConnolly@LIHerald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.