How do Teachers Feel about Teen Trendsetters?

"I am retiring after 38 years of teaching high school English. I can say without a doubt that TTRM has been one of the highlights of my career. I have never had such a rewarding experience. To see those big high school kids relate to those third graders was a heart-warmer. Thank you, thank you, for the opportunity."
-Rebecca Rogers, Arkansas High School teacher

And, in your own words -

Through mentoring, Jonathan Croxton, a 16-year-old junior at Gulf Breeze High School, has gained a lot of insight about becoming a better leader and a better student.

"It's helped me maintain my own grades," he said. "When you get there and you're actually reading, you see that they're happy and getting an education and having fun doing it. Having somebody to look up to makes it better for them."

Ciera Watson is a Teen Trendsetters™ Reading Mentor at Shell Elementary.

Watson says she enjoys helping children at her former elementary school, especially when she remembers her own childhood. "I just love doing it, because when I was young, I didn't have anyone coming to read with me," she said. "I consider it a blessing to go back and help out the kids."

For Trendsetter Carmella Sease, who was one of the fist 30 teens in the program in 2002, it all started with a 10th-grade teacher who suggested that she apply. "When I started, I had no idea what impact I would have on these children's lives, or the impact they would have on my own," she said in her introduction. "You [the Trendsetters] are about to embark on a wonderful journey that will change your lives forever."