By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-934065.mp3
Albany, NY – Students from an Albany school got a glimpse of the corporate world when they particpated in First Niagara Bank's second annual day of mentoring. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
First Niagara Executives and employees spent a day last month mentoring a group of Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School Children. First Niagara regional president Tom Amell says the students sat in on meetings with executives, and learned about the banking process. National studies have found that mentoring helps improve children's attendance records, attitudes about school, and expectations to attend college. Larry Drew is the Albany middle school family and consumer science teacher whose students attended the mentoring session: he believes the mentoring experience has a positive affect on his pupils. An August 2010 survey conducted by First Niagara of 31 past Mentoring Matters recipients throughout Upstate New York who are responsible for mentoring programs within their non-profit organizations found that mentoring was effective in elevating young adults' communication skills, self-esteem, learning to relate well to others, and setting career goals.