All Sports relies on mentoring to change the lives of at-risk youth.

The All Sports Mentor Program works on the premise that many at-risk students have the desire for a higher education after high school, but lack the direction and support that only a positive mentor can offer. All Sports assigns "mentors" to guide these students in their transition into college, and "mentor coordinators" to track their development through graduation.

The All Sports mentoring program is based on a two-tier model. The program focuses on the overall personal and academic development of at-risk high school students. Most of these students are the first in their family to go to college. Because of this, they need assistance every step of the way, from school selection and enrollment to overcoming the obstacles each new year can present. For many students, this is the only opportunity they will have to prepare for productive professional careers and cross the barriers beyond their present economic status.

Two Tiers to Success

The First Tier:

The first tier involves utilizing personal mentors who establish relationships with local high school students. At this stage, All Sport provides valuable workshop that help prepare these students for their transition into college or their career of choice. This is also the time to pre-select those candidates that will pass into the second tier, based on their personal and financial needs.

A key benefit to many of the students that participate in the first tier is use of the Audio-Visual Room at All Sports. Students use this room to create "college resumes," better known as highlight reels, of their high school achievements and athletic performance. Faculty from colleges and universities throughout the country come to the foundation's office in Tampa to search for talented students to add to their athletic team or academic roster. Many previously overlooked athletes receive partial or full academic scholarships because of this important facility. Non-athletes benefit by receiving academic or community service scholarships, or other types of college entrance assistance.

The Second Tier:

The mentoring program's second tier involves utilizing mentor coordinators, former All Sports' college graduates, who support participants selected into the second tier throughout their college education. The All Sports' team and approximately two coordinators support about 30 students. The team and coordinators mentor and assist this cohort group each year through graduation. To ensure retention, emphasis is given to the student's freshman year, when statistics show an alarming 30 to 50 percent dropout-rate.

Upon graduation, many All Sports' students come back to the program to become mentors and mentor coordinators themselves, helping future generations and continuing the cycle of support. This "full-circle" approach helps ensure that those who have had a chance to accomplish their goals through All Sports, give that same chance to others.

"No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."