Mentorship Program helps keep young girls on the right track

BALTIMORE, Md. - Young girls at Steuart Hill Academic Academy in West Baltimore listen to a power point presentation on self esteem.  It's part of a program called Powerful Voices of Young Ladies.

It's a Mentorship Program to help girls.

"I think it's fun.  It helps a lot.  If you don't have someone to talk too or you don't feel comfortable, you can talk to your big sister. She is older and you feel more comfortable," said Destiny Copeland, a ninth grader at Steuart Hill Academic Academy.

The Mentorship program serves 50 girls.  College students are mentors for the youngsters, trying to set them on the right path.

The group meets once a week for about an hour after school.  Mentors talk to the girls about everything from relationships to friends and self esteem, trying to help them make better decisions.

"Some of them are coming from broken homes, group homes and difficult backgrounds.  This program gives them somewhere they can go to not be on the streets.  It's a positive thing," said Destynee Bright, a Mentor.

Empowering Minds of Marylands Youth started the Mentorship Program in 2003.  It has made a big impact on students.

"We had a young lady who was thinking of suicide and she was able to come to me. We got her the help she needed so those are the things that show me this program is needed," said Knicole Taylor with Empowering Minds of Marylands Youth.

The Mentorship Program serves girls at Friendship Academy of Engineering and Technology and Steuart Hill Academic Academy.