Why is Mentoring Important?
With recent national research [see footnotes below] placing Oregon in some of the lowest rankings for time in the classroom and academic achievement, mentoring is vital to providing students with additional, meaningful support. Mentoring high school students provides a broader foundation that helps increase the understanding and perception of academic and career knowledge, especially in health and healthcare. Mentoring has proven benefits, including inspiring students to expand their options in career paths, increase their academic standings and engage more positively with others.
As a MIKE Mentor, you’ll gain leadership experience and skills in:
Experience working with youth in priority populations
Equipping youth with health knowledge and skills to enhance self-advocacy
Expanding health literacy and public health messaging
Helping increase diversity in healthcare by introducing career and training options to youth
and, you’ll enhance your healthcare career portfolio!
Stand for Children commissioned a study on how much time Oregon students spend in the classroom, compared to other states. The 2026 study, commissioned through ECONorthwest, found that Oregon ranks a dismal 47th place in the entire nation. Link: https://stand.org/oregon/
The World Population Review ranks Oregon in 40th place for reading and math scores: https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/public-school-rankings-by-state