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Mentors help teens excel in school, life
ReLAY assists 80 students — many kids of immigrants
By Tillie Fong
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
WESTMINSTER — Seng Kim, an eighth-grader at Merrill Middle School, used to be a bully.
But three years ago, he joined the ReLAY (Responsible Leadership and Action for Youth) project, and he hasn't been in a fight since.
"He taught me how to be nice and to respect other people," Seng said about his mentor, Kim Phi. "When I go to school, I get respect by not getting angry. When people say things to me, I ignore it."
Seng, 14, is one of about 80 students from Merrill and Hodgkins middle schools in the project, run by the Asia Pacific Development Center.
It provides students with one-on-one mentoring, after-school tutoring and classes that teach them everything from anger management to drug and alcohol abuse prevention.
Most but not all participants are Asian and are usually children of immigrants.
"We want to present them with a healthy lifestyle and a leadership curriculum," said director Minna Castillo-Cohen. "We see a lot of positive changes, but it may not all be quantifiable on paper."
In Seng's case, the tutoring also has helped improve his grades, and he's no longer restive after school.
"It has helped me a lot," he said. "If it wasn't for this, I would be bored and unhappy."
Seng, Sean Wong, 14, and Davy Mam, 13, two other Merrill Middle School eighth-graders, were recently hanging out with Phi — their ReLAY mentor — at Nickel-A-Play video arcade.
"It's a time for teen-agers to spend time with an adult," said Phi, 25, who has been with the ReLAY project for two years. "The teachers will see these kids and say, 'They were terrible at school today.' But they only see one side. The kids tell us a lot about themselves, and we see a different side to them."
That was the case with Sean, who used to struggle with school work and was often withdrawn from other students.
But that changed three years ago when he became involved with ReLAY.
"It helped me with my homework," Sean said. "There were all these other people helping me."
Phi said he is delighted with the change in Sean, whose grades have shot up.
"He has really, really grown," Phi said. "He came out of his shell."
Phi, one of five mentors with ReLAY, said he is pleased to be a role model for the students.
"These kids are growing up in a difficult time," he said. "We steer them away from things like drugs, but it's up to them to make the right decisions."
Contact Tillie Fong at (303) 892-5489 or fongt@RockyMountainNews.com.
November 27, 2000
