Colby Cares About Kids, or CCAK for short, is a long-standing community service–oriented club, organized by the Office of Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships. This week, new members begin training before the club officially begins in the spring.
Founded in 2001, CCAK is a mentorship program that pairs Colby student mentors with K–8 students in local Waterville schools. Mentors work one-on-one with their student mentee for an hour every week. Students in the program are required to work with their mentee for a minimum of three semesters; however, many students participate beyond the requirement.
The goal for this program is to provide consistent guidance and support to Waterville students. Mentoring sessions allow K–8 students to take a break from their day-to-day schedule, creating space for them to engage in activities of their interest, such as sports, crafts, or playing games.
Mentor–mentee sessions aren’t structured around a specific program, but rather, mentees plan activities for their personal interests. “In my sophomore year, on a nice day in the spring, I brought some of my baseball equipment with me to CCAK, and my mentee and I went out to the field and played baseball together for our entire time that week,” Josh Rubin `27, a program student leader, said. “It was something we’d been talking about doing for over a year, and it was so fun!”
At each of the 13 local schools, site coordinators, including social and guidance counselors, communicate closely with CCAK leaders to facilitate meeting times for each pair and provide strategies for how to best support mentees. At Colby, CCAK is led by Paige Begley, associate director of Civic Engagement, and Emma Farnham, a fifth-year fellow of Civic Engagement. In addition, several passionate upperclassmen with previous experience with CCAK serve as student leaders.
“Being a part of CCAK has allowed me to have a consistent opportunity to engage with the Waterville community, and even more so to develop a really meaningful relationship with my mentee,” Rubin said. “Time and time again, he has offered me the perspective needed to realize my problems aren’t so big, and he has been a joyous, younger brother–type figure in my life.”
Throughout the fall, CCAK leaders organize office hours for prospective mentors and facilitate three one-hour mandatory online training sessions. Here, prospective members learn strategies in mentoring and connecting with children in Maine. Once they complete this onboarding process, members will be paired up with their mentee to begin mentoring sessions in the spring.
“I hope that I can build a deep relationship with my mentee and help the kids in the greater Waterville area,” Hana Cheng `30, a prospective mentor, said. “I joined because I wanted to continue volunteering with children at Colby.”
At the end of the school year, CCAK hosts a large barbecue for mentor–mentee groups and students’ families. This event includes outside activities, food, and arts and crafts. This long-standing annual tradition allows Colby to connect with the children and families of Waterville.
“My favorite CCAK memory was last year’s BBQ, when my mentee’s excitement to see me reminded me of how meaningful our connection is,” Priya Raskin `28 said. “It has been so meaningful to watch my mentee grow throughout my time at Colby, witnessing his maturity develop, his interests flourish, and our connection grow stronger.”
~ Elsie Scott `30
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