Kohler Foundation grant to fund Lakeland mentoring program
Lakeland University has received a $5,000 grant from the Kohler Foundation to fund a mentoring program between Black students at Lakeland and Jackson Elementary School in Sheboygan.
The mentoring program, which was initially piloted in 2018, has Lakeland students work with students attending Jackson Elementary School in the Sheboygan Area School district to provide role models and improve their social skills, behavior and reading ability.
Activities between the students include one-on-one reading exercises, general mentoring and rapport-building activities. Participants also have an opportunity to visit Lakeland's campus in the hopes of giving aspiring students a feel for the college campus experience.
The program allows Black elementary students to connect with college students who look like them and understand Black-American culture while encouraging them to take positive steps to improve their sense of belonging.
The program currently includes 12 students from Jackson and 15 mentors from Lakeland.
