Mentoring Alliance reports summer-camp reach and lunchtime Mentor Connect expansion in Tyler ISD

Matt Edwards, executive with Mentoring Alliance, presented the organization's annual update and partnership outcomes with Tyler ISD. Edwards said Mentoring Alliance’s after-school program served 33 Tyler ISD schools and about 1,406 children in the 2024–25 school year and expects to serve roughly 1,500 this year. He described Rose City Summer Camps as an extended-day childcare model that reduced summer learning loss for participating children.

Edwards described a redesigned Mentor Connect model that operates during the school day at seven Tyler ISD campuses in a timed, nine-month lunchtime format to lower the barrier for volunteers. “One of the things we measure is that…kids feel loved and cared for in a safe way,” Edwards said, and he pointed to internal program metrics showing decreased summer learning loss (math: 5.2% less loss for participants) and reading regression reductions at partner campuses.

Why it matters: The partnership aims to bolster academic and social-emotional outcomes by providing consistent adult relationships, homework help and structured enrichment outside the regular school day. Trustees and staff praised the partnership’s local pipeline of student staffers who progress from program participant to camp staff to college enrollment and program leadership.

Operational notes: Mentoring Alliance reported 50 matched mentors with 40 additional mentors cleared and ready to be matched, and set a near-term goal of matching roughly 120 students in the Mentor Connect lunchtime program. The board also acknowledged Mentoring Alliance’s community partnership role and discussed opportunities to scale proven elements of the program to support local goals for youth mental health and out-of-school learning time.

Evidence: The Mentoring Alliance presentation and trustee questions are recorded beginning at 01:32:48 in the transcript.