Mentoring Program Reaches Out to Community Youth

by Jennifer Sparger

What began as his daughter’s project for her undergraduate thesis has become a successful mission for Judge
Thomas Shadrick and the Virginia Beach Bar Association. Sponsored by the VBBA and directed by Judge Shadrick, a
mentoring program for all third grade students at a local elementary school is now in its fourth year.

The mentors are lawyers, judges, police officers, sheriff ’s deputies, former school teachers and other concerned
citizens whom Judge Shadrick and the VBBA helped to recruit. These volunteers visit their assigned students every
week, taking them out of class for an hour of one-on-one attention. Mentors assist their students with their weakest
skills.

Studies have shown that children who are behind academically by the end of the third grade tend to remain behind
throughout their school career.

“We are here to give them an adult who can broaden their horizons and set an example of what can be done with
practice and hard work,” said Judge Shadrick, who is a mentor.

In an effort to ensure that each child is seen at least once a week throughout the entire school year, the VBBA has
established three level of mentors. Sole mentors are assigned to one student and commit to seeing that student at
least once a week for an hour. Shared mentors are two mentors assigned to one student and alternate weeks in
seeing the child. Alternate mentors are called upon by sole and or shared mentors to fill in for them when they are not
able to make it to the school for some reason.

Seatack Elementary School is one of eight elementary schools in the Virginia Beach area that does not meet SOL
standards. “Seatack is expected to earn the state's second highest accreditation rating for 2002–2003,” Judge
Shadrick said.

“We do not want these kids to be let down,” he said. “Some of them already have too much of that in their lives.”

Recruitment

“Recruitment of mentors has taken place primarily through word of mouth”, explained Norma Catoe, assistant to Judge
Shadrick. “This works out well as we have to be so careful that we have individuals mentoring who are of good moral
character, with no criminal history.”

At the beginning of each year, a recruitment notice is placed in the VBBA’s newsletter. Also, the VBBA president helps
recruit local attorneys and paralegals. Judge Shadrick wrote the Chief of Police and the Sheriff for the City of Virginia
Beach during the programs first year, enlisting their help in getting police officers and deputies to volunteer as
mentors.

The Virginia Beach Bar Association has received three awards for its mentoring program: an Award of Merit from the
CLBA, the VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads Award and the Virginia Beach Public School’s Model Partnership Award.

“This is a project that lawyers could take on in any community”, Shadrick said. “After all, many attorneys are able to
see first-hand the effects of the improper raising of children.”