A group of mentors inspires DD2 students to reach their full potential

DORCHESTER COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – A Lowcountry nonprofit mentoring group has made it their priority to support students in Dorchester School District Two to motivate them to be the best versions of themselves.

The Beacons has grown since it began working with students four years ago. The nonprofit’s president, Frankie Staropoli, says that when his daughter was in elementary school, he asked the principal if there was anything he could do to help with the school.

“She said, ‘I’m glad you asked, we have a high percentage of boys in our schools who don’t have a father figure at home, so we need a group of male mentors,’ and I told her I do,” Staropoli says.

He says that in just two weeks the organization started with 12 men serving at one school and has since expanded to 13 schools with more than 100 men and women serving.

“We understand that there are a lot of things going on in kids’ lives that most people may not empathize with and with all the different things they have to deal with, from education to family homes to bullying and everything in between, we just want to make sure that they know that they have an ally and someone they can talk to about things,” Staropoli says.

She says counselors at each school identify which students need additional support. From there, they are assigned student mentors for individual sessions. Each mentor takes on two students and spends about 15 minutes with each. Staropoli says they meet with the same students every week throughout the school year.

“We ask all these questions to try to get them to open up and give us a profile of who they are. Once that is created, I mean there is always an organic relationship of that kind that happens and from there, once there is interest, we often find that nine times out of ten our mentors have the same tastes as the students,” says Staropoli.

He says they only provide tutoring in elementary and middle schools, but they partner with Summerville High School and have some of their juniors and seniors come in to work with some of the mentees.

Currently, the group only works with students in Dorchester School District Two, but Staropoli says they are interested in expanding to the Berkeley County School District and Charleston County School District.

He says sitting with students during mentoring sessions has a huge impact because it creates a positive environment and students realize their potential.

“At this age, children are very easily influenced and often tend to follow what their environment tells them, whether through words or actions,” says Staropoli. “Many of these children feel that they don’t have many opportunities available to them because of their environment, or they simply don’t have the support at home to push them to be better.”

He says students realize what kinds of opportunities are in their favor if they work for them.

The Beacons Vice President Skip Williams says that even as an adult he has had mentors who have helped him navigate the process of making smart decisions.

“It helps us make good decisions in our business, well, let’s go back many years when we were in school and we had mentors that helped us make good decisions, especially in middle school and high school, there are so many decisions that you have to make and influences from other kids that may not be the best decisions,” says Williams.

Staropoli says they are always looking for more people to mentor and those who are interested can contact him at 843-276-9616 or [email protected].

He says they conduct background checks with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and that those interested would have to sign a handbook for the organization.

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