Mentors and mentees in the SMILES (Southcoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service) mentoring program at the Matthew J. Kuss Middle School enjoyed playing some social games with one another during one of their Monday afternoon sessions on March 8, 2010. Participants were first challenged to line up in chronological order by the dates of their birthday without being able to talk with one another. The game resulted in a variety of creative hand signals and expressions. Then mentors and mentees were asked to line up on either side of the room depending on whether they agreed or disagreed with a variety of statements, including "Do you think children should be required to wear uniforms to school?", "Do you think the minimum driving age should be lowered to 15½?", and "Do you think children should be allowed to carry cell phones in school?". The exercise gave both mentees and mentors the opportunity to get to know one another better by openly exchanging their opinions. Other  sessions bring mentors and mentees together with a variety of structured activities. For more information about the program or to volunteer to serve as a mentor in other programs, call (508) 999-9300 or e-mail Nicole Almeida at nalmeida@smilesmentoring.org.

(Top row) Program facilitator Amanda Mello talks with mentee, Joshua, before the start of the first game in which mentors and mentees had to line up in order of their birthdays without talking to one another. (Middle row, left) Citizens-Union Savings Bank (CUSB) CEO Nicholas Christ communicates with Kayla using hand signals as F.R.O.E.D. Executive Director Ken Fiola and CUSB employee Catarina Bauer look on in the background. (Middle row, right) Mentees Shannon, Cody and Oryan raise their hands to respond to issues raised by an exercise in which mentors and mentees exchanged opinion on issues like wearing school uniforms or lowering the driving age. (Bottom row, left) Mentee Shannon states her opinion on an issue while mentors Natalia Lourenco, Sue Dias-Cordeiro, and Carole and Ken Fiola listen. (Bottom row, center) Mentees Cody and Joshua weigh in with their arguments. (Bottom row, right) Fall River Housing Authority Family and Youth Services Director Joey DaSilva listens as Governor's Council Member Carole Fiola offers her side of the issue.