ROPE YOUTH PROGRAMS

Girls Rule Our World (G.R.O.W) is an all-girl, female-led, self-esteem program which begins in 7th grade.

Vetted mentors meet weekly with young girls in the program at their school during the lunch period to help them discover their strengths and the unique qualities that makes them who they are. Mentors remain involved in the lives of their mentee until they graduate high school to ensure quality engagement and meaningful, consistent investment.

G.R.O.W provides girls a place to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas without fear of judgment. Participants learn ways to strengthen the relationships they find important while also discovering the need to let go of those which are not. In this program, girls learn to take care of their mental health by being taught how to deal with stress and express their frustrations, in addition to enhancing their decision-making process and gaining confidence in who they are. Through social activities, such as camping, and community service, girls learn the importance of strengthening relationships and serving their community while also being exposed to positive role models they can trust to help keep them succeed in and out of the classroom.

MENtor is an all-male, weekly mentoring program beginning in 7th grade designed for young men who have limited family support, live below the poverty line, and typically come from a single-parent home.

Because of these social and economic disadvantages, there is an increased likelihood these young men will face struggles, both socially and academically. However, with the proper investment and buy-in from the participants, overcoming these challenges is probable.

With positive role models, proper guidance, and continued investment, we can ensure fewer young men fall though the cracks in our community. Like G.R.O.W, mentors of this program follow each young man from the 7th grade through high school and remain a positive influence in their lives to foster confidence and trust and ensure success both in the classroom and in their community.

The Young Gentlemen’s Club (YGC) is an all-male, hands-on mentoring program (grades 4^th through 6^th) created to help at-risk (fatherless) boys become upstanding citizens and young gentlemen in our community. In many cases, this program serves as a lifeline for boys who are in danger of falling through the cracks.

YGC meets one time per week during the school day, typically during lunch, with three male mentors facilitating a group of approximately 12 boys. These boys are identified by their teacher and counselor as meeting key criteria set by R.O.P.E. Youth.  

In general, we touch on seven key areas that a father would typically teach a son, including:

• Self-empowerment and confidence
• Goal setting
• Financial responsibility
• Public speaking
• Grooming/personal hygiene
• Etiquette
• Career readiness

We believe in dressing for success, and as such, YGC provides each boy with a suit and shoes to wear every Wednesday, while also teaching them how to properly care for their attire.

Food First is a weekend and summer feeding program which was launched in the summer of 2021 to fight food insecurity amongst our youth in Midland.

With a single food truck, the help of community volunteers, and a vision to end food insecurity in Midland, this program fed 4,000 kids during the summer of 2021 and continues to assist our public school in preparing lunches for kids to take home on the weekends to ensure they have food to eat during the weekend.

We have a goal of acquiring an additional food truck this coming year in the hopes of doubling the number of kids receiving meals during the weekends and summers.

Food is the most important school supply you can give a child. Hunger during the school day hinders their ability to focus on learning the material being taught in the classroom. At R.O.P.E Youth, we believe one hungry child is too many and we are working diligently to provide solution.