Community Friends, now in its 57th year, pairs children who attend Addison County schools (ages 6-12) with Middlebury College students in one-on-one mentoring relationships. Big brother and big sister pairs are matched based on factors like shared gender identity, interests, age, and transportation availability.
Optionally, mentees and mentors can select to be a part of Manos Unidas, a new wing of Community Friends in partnership with Juntos, a Middlebury College migrant farmworker-student solidarity organization. Manos Unidas matches children and mentors who identify as Latinx and/or Hispanic and would like to engage in mentoring relationships that celebrate and explore shared culture and identity.
All Community Friends and Manos Unidas pairs meet weekly during the academic year to spend time on campus. They might also go for a walk on the TAM, swim in the college pool, or share a meal. All participants also have the opportunity to attend monthly group events, like our annual pool party, an ice-cream making event, and an outdoor field day.
To sign up your child, please complete the Mentee Referral Form available at www.go.middlebury.edu/cf or speak with your child’s school guidance counselor about being referred. Please direct questions to Megan Brakeley at the Center for Community Engagement, mbrakeley@middlebury.edu or the student organization email: comfriends@middlebury.edu.
Please note: it may take a month or more to find the right match. At this time, we have an abundance of female-identifying mentors and no male mentors.