Pass It On: Interviews by Youth with Mentors That Matter

You don't have to call yourself a mentor to pass it on...In this inspiring book of interviews and photographs, youth honor the ordinary adults who reach out to them in everyday but extraordinary ways. Their national Mentors that Matter project shows the profound effects on both teenagers and adults when all kinds of people not just parents and teachers take the time to connect, converse, and care about young people. ''We always say, 'We don't have time for this,' but I think sometimes in a black community we don't take hold of time. Every minute something is being made, even when we are enjoying relationships. There is so much we have to get to young people, before they get to a certain age always challenging, always pushing yourself to push that kid. So that kid sees that with hard work there are things you can strive on. The obstacles don't stop and once you overcome one, there's always going to be another one.''--ERIC MORRIS, basketball cvoach and mentor, Chicago, Illinois