Rise Up Mentorship will start at North Lenoir and Contentnea-Savannah School (CSS). The program is a mentorship that will focus on targeting students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs in order to increase academics throughout the year.

Selected juniors and seniors will partner up with CSS K-5 students throughout the year and will meet once a month, starting in January.

“Since this is the very first year of the program, we will start with about 40 students total.,” said Darylanne Towery founder of Rise Up and the LCPS 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year.

Towery, “plans on continuing this over the next year and my goal is to reach more schools across the district, furthermore reaching more kids!”

Each month students will meet at designated places during 11:00-12:00 to collaborate and communicate.

Mentors are partnered up with their buddy based on their hobbies, interest, and personality. Towery said, “I paired them up with someone who I thought could benefit them in the short and long term.”