Our Story

Keeping Our Youth Connected

The REAL Mentors Program for boys was initiated in May of 2011 at Tahanto Regional Middle/High School in Boylston, Massachusetts.

School Psychologist, Jake Milano, designed the program, working in coordination with Mike Sanford, of Fathering Fathers, Inc. and staff from Boys To Men New England.

We’ve grown over the years:

• In 2017, REAL Mentors expanded its outreach to boys at the Clinton Middle School in Clinton, Mass.
• In November of 2021, the girl’s mentor program was added.
• November of 2022 a girls’ program at Tahanto Regional was started serving students in Boylston and Berlin, MA.
• 2024 a boys and girls program at Clinton High School began.

Why REAL Mentors?

REAL Mentors was designed to provide students with the opportunity in a group setting, to engage, be heard, and establish strong, meaningful connections with fellow students, mentors, and the local community.

David C. wrote, “REAL Mentors made us grow closer to one another to where we could share one another’s burdens, hurts and troubles… and created a bond between all of us and allowed us to become really close friends.”

REAL is an acronym for the four pillars of The REAL Mentors Program:

Respect, Engage, Acknowledge, and Listen

The weekly mentor meetings allow students to experience genuine respect. There they are free to engage with each other and the mentors both in discussions and activities.

They are acknowledged for who they are and what they bring to the table. And, most importantly, they are listened to without judgment.

Students and mentors learn to listen to each other with an open and non- judgmental heart. That allows them to understand, empathize, and relate on a deeper level… a level built on mutual trust… to the words, the feelings, what’s said, and what’s left unsaid by those in the group.

Establishing trust between students and mentors is crucial, as it creates a safe space to share, discuss, and grapple with frustrations, fears, and trying situations group participants may be experiencing.

Keeping Kids Connected to the Community

Our mentors are men and women from the local community. They may be a coach, a teacher, a counselor, a retiree, a police officer, or a businessperson.

Each mentor brings their unique perspectives, life experiences, and acquired wisdom to share in group discussions with these middle and high school students.

Our mentors are not here to “fix” anyone. These students simply need a trusted guide to help them uncover and see the greatness that lies within them. As they do, they strengthen the connection with each other, their mentors, and their community.

The following is an excerpt from a speech David Cocks gave at our first annual Keeping Connected Event in June of 2021. Dave is an alumnus of the R.E.A.L. Mentors program and one of its first participants. “The REAL Mentors Program made us grow closer to one another, to where we could share one another’s burdens, hurts and troubles. We had multiple times where we spent entire mentor sessions gathered around one of our fellow friends, offering support and listening to a situation they were going through. Jake Milano showed us by example that it’s okay to show feelings, it’s okay to shed some tears, and that it’s crucial in life to be open and honest about your feelings and what’s going on in your life. He also led by example, showing us how to listen to one another and how that can be more beneficial… than giving advice or thoughts.“