Eye to Eye Inducted into the Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame

The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame was established by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC) to honor those individuals who are making a significant difference in the lives of youth and adults with disabilities through mentoring and to raise awareness about the importance of mentoring for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to induct Eye to Eye into the Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame.

Eye to Eye’s mission is to improve the life of every person with a learning disability. The mission is fulfilled by supporting and growing a network of youth mentoring programs run by and for those with learning differences, and by organizing advocates to support the full inclusion of people with learning disabilities and ADHD in all aspects of society.

Eye to Eye is the only national mentoring movement that pairs kids who have learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (LD / ADHD) with college and high school mentors who have been similarly labeled. Using an arts-based curriculum, mentors help their mentees understand their unique way of learning and thinking, building self-esteem and skills they need to become self-advocates.

MENTORING NETWORK

The Eye to Eye network of 50 local chapters is driven by dynamic community partnerships with public and private schools, colleges, universities, and local businesses. While the Eye to Eye mentor/mentee model is very straightforward – coming together once a week to create art projects specifically designed to share similar experiences – there is a clearly defined set of principles that focus the work and distinguish the program as one of the most innovative movements in the country in support of students labeled with language, reading, and math based learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

STUDENT OUTCOMES

Experience with thousands of students labeled with LD / ADHD tells us that the Eye to Eye model of mentoring relationships works. Independent academic research has confirmed this as well. Research conducted by an evaluator from Teachers College, Columbia University over the past five years shows that students with LD / ADHD have seen improvement in the following areas after being mentored in Eye to Eye:

  • SELF-ESTEEM: Up to 85% of students felt better about themselves.
  • POSITIVE ROLE MODELING: Up to 82% reported that their mentor was the kind of student they wanted to be.
  • HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: Up to 87% reported that their mentor helped them to think about their future positively.
  • SELF-ADVOCACY: Up to 73% believed that their mentor helped them learn how to ask for the things they need in order to do well in school.
  • ACADEMIC EMPOWERMENT: Up to 87% reported “Being a part of Eye to Eye got me to think about what I am good at.

Learn more about Eye to Eye at www.eyetoeyenational.org.

Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame: Information and Inductees

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