Adolescence is complicated, but having just one consistent, trusted adult in a young person’s life can make a huge difference. For all too many, that isn’t a guarantee, and that void can be detrimental as young people navigate the challenges of growing up. From feeling out of place in school to questioning one’s identity, being able to rely on a trusted adult can be a true lifeline.
For over 50 years, Windsor County Mentors (WCM) has been addressing this through a free mentor matching program facilitated through community- and school-based programs. Originally founded to serve youth at risk of entering the juvenile justice system, the nonprofit has shifted to a prevention-based model through the years with the goal of establishing long-term, impactful mentor-mentee matches that address social, academic, and emotional challenges for kids and teens.
New Hampshire’s Upper Valley, where WCM operates, is home to a student population uniquely in need of these mentoring services. Chronic absenteeism and high dropout rates are compounded by a lack of local resources in rural counties like Sullivan and Merrimack, and research finds that absenteeism rates are higher amongst Granite State girls than boys. These issues are top driving factors for WCM’s mentoring program, which matches kids and teens affected by these barriers with dedicated volunteer mentors who provide one-on-one mentorship, an evidence-based model shown to boost self-esteem, improve academic performance, and build valuable life skills.
Once mentors go through the application process, they are thoughtfully paired with a mentee based on mutual interests and personality types with the goal of creating strong, compatible relationships. Mentors and mentees typically meet once per week for a couple of hours and do planned activities, such as hiking, art, tutoring, and more, to establish consistency for the mentees and strengthen the bond between them.
Windsor County Mentors serves more girl mentees than boys, and around three quarters of their mentors are women, and they often share how they can see the mentees blossoming. “One mentor recently shared that their 16 year old female mentee has gone from being shy and unhappy at school to being engaged, making friends, appearing in a school production, and even volunteering herself,” shared Matthew Garcia, WCM’s Executive Director.
The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation provided a 2025 Community Grant to Windsor County Mentors to help fund the expansion of their school mentoring program to other districts. “The need for this program is clear, as high rates of absenteeism and social isolation continue to negatively impact girls in our largely rural service area,” Garcia explained. Through their existing and expanding programs, WCM is giving girls in rural areas both the resources and the opportunities to thrive.
To learn more about girls’ absenteeism and education, visit our Status of Girls in New Hampshire report: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/status-of-girls-nh/.
To learn more about WCM or our other 2025 grantees, visit: https://nhwomensfoundation.org/grantmaking/2025-grant-recipients/.
