CAMP Gator's "Tail" of Success

CAMP Gator (Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program) is an innovative, service-learning, leadership mentoring program that pairs athletes and non-athlete student leaders from the University of Florida with at-risk elementary and middle-school boys and girls from high poverty schools in the Gainesville community. Many of the mentees chosen to participate in the program have discipline issues, high absentee rates, and below average academic achievement before completion of the program. Collegiate student leaders selected to participate in the program as mentors are given the opportunity to enhance their leadership, public speaking, and goal-setting skills, as they mentor a child in these same areas, make a difference in their community, and understand the influence one can have in the field of education and educational leadership, resulting in a win-win relationship for both mentee and mentor.

Data from 2008-2009 (CAMP Gator’s first year of existence) showed a 13% increase in GPA, 22% increase in attendance, and a 72% decrease in suspensions for mentees, as well as increased public speaking abilities, goal setting and leadership skills for the mentors (Ohlson, 2009). The program mentors have included students from the Minority Student Education Guild, Olympians, NFL standouts, and the National ESPN Academic All-American for 2009. CAMP Gator has also been recognized by the Daily Point of Light Foundation, Learn and Serve America, National Alliance of Mentoring, and received the 2009 City of Gainesville "Work of Heart" Collegiate Service Award. The program continues to reach out to youth and is expanding beyond Gainesville into areas such as South Florida and parts of North Carolina via virtual mentoring.