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Denfeld students pitch mentorship program to tackle chronic absenteeism
Summary
Students from Denfeld High School presented a mentorship-based proposal to the Duluth Public School District committee, saying roughly one in three Denfeld students are chronically absent and seeking volunteers, small grants and partnerships to build personalized mentor relationships.
Students from Denfeld High School told the Duluth Public School District Committee of the Whole that chronic absenteeism is a pressing problem at their school and proposed a mentor-led program to boost belonging and attendance.
Kissa Davis, a Denfeld senior, and classmates Elijah Runquist and Addie (Adriana) Potter described the Dashboard (Denfeld After School Happenings) youth-leadership program and its plan to recruit mentors through existing community partners, Mentor North and local colleges. “Roughly one in three Denfeld students are chronically absent,” Davis said, and the students argued mentorship could address loneliness and help students connect to adults who can support attendance and academics.
The students described a mix of in-school and after‑school mentorship options, quarterly intake surveys to monitor satisfaction, and collaboration with the district’s attendance coordinator (Maria Floristano) to track tardies and absences. Potter said prior attendance-contract work targeted chronically absent students and included parent signatures; the new model would personalize mentor matches so students feel comfortable and connected.
Board members asked about recruitment, whether the program would duplicate existing supports, and transportation barriers. Member Banks and others pressed whether mentors would complement integration specialists and Dash after‑school offerings; presenters said the goal is to integrate the mentorships with existing school supports rather than create a separate, siloed program. Students also noted DTA bus passes have helped attendance for some peers and proposed giving mentors gas cards where transit is unavailable.
Addie Potter said the Dashboard team has applied for a $1,000 grant from the Northland Foundation to seed the program and that their prior public-speaking experience at a statewide competition informed the proposal. Board members and staff praised the student leadership and asked the team to document their work for future funding and resume purposes.
The committee did not take formal action; members encouraged the students to continue developing the plan with school staff and community partners and to return with a budget and implementation timeline.
