Become a Mentor with Oakland Serves: Help Students Who Need It Most
Oakland Serves recruits community volunteers to serve as in-class mentors in Oakland high schools. The organization places mentors directly in classrooms during school hours, where they work one-on-one with students struggling to keep up.
The students who benefit most aren't necessarily the high achievers seeking an extra challenge; they're often the ones who feel lost and don't realize help is available.
Mentors commit to attending one class session per week and are matched with a classroom based on their interests and availability. Oakland Serves operates in several schools, with mentors primarily supporting English, math, and academic recovery classes.
To participate, mentors must be at least 18 years old and complete the standard requirements for working with minors.
Many mentors return year after year, drawn by the experience of working with teenagers and watching them succeed at something they didn't think was possible. Teachers, too, have embraced the program, noting that the extra classroom support gives them more time to work with other students.
