Meet Elijah, our March Mentee of the Month

Elijah, turning nine on the 26th, is walking his dog with his grandmother, Tonya, when he hears music blasting from the bar across the street, and that does it! He GETS. HIS. BOOGIE. ON! He draws attention from the bouncer and the folks waiting in line. They laugh but Elijah pays them no mind, he’s in his own world, dancing to his own beat. 

This encapsulates the essence of Elijah: his joyful, happy, and loving self. 

“He’s always positive – he brings joy out of everyone he meets, always trying to bring a smile to their faces. He gets along with everyone and makes friends easily.” 

Elijah’s grandmother Tonya and mentor Chandler also describe Elijah as curious. Excellent at math but struggling with reading, Elijah is diving into reading, determined to improve by reading books that stoke his interest and natural curiosity. With a new baby brother now in the picture, Elijah is also excited to be  a good example and make sure his little brother has a role model to look up to. “For an 8-year-old, he’s got this natural leadership potential and maturity,” says Chandler, praising Elijah’s growth mindset as he welcomed this big new transition with an open mind and heart.  

Adding to his changing world was a recent change of schools. After Elijah faced bullying at his former school by older students, Tonya advocated hard to have him transferred to a school closer to home. Sadly, the bullying continued at his new school. But this time, armed with more confidence and strategies, he overcame it by befriending his bullies! 

“Making the best of new opportunities comes naturally to Elijah,” says Tonya. He accompanied a friend to a soccer game and when a player was injured, Elijah was asked to fill in. By his second game, everyone was talking about Elijah, his skills, and his great attitude. He went on to play every single game that season and was promptly invited by a coach to officially join the team. He’s proud to share that the team has won most of their games this year.   

“What I love about Elijah is his perseverance and his joyous attitude, even when times are tough,” says Chandler. 

We salute you, Elijah, for your strength and positivity. We hope your upcoming birthday is as fun as you are!