Newtonville Resident Helps Youth Achieve Success

When Jonathan Solares, 18, of Waltham, was a sophomore in high school, he had dreams of becoming a TV producer and director of documentaries. His grades in school were mediocre and he did not always do his homework. His responsibilities at home, caring for his 4 year old brother while his mother worked long hours at a local bakery hindered his focus on his education.  

Today, Solares has learned to make himself more of a priority. He has improved his grades and is taking broadcasting and TV production classes as electives. He has produced short videos and television shows featuring his classmates. He will graduate from Waltham High School this June and has been accepted at Middlesex Community College to further his education focusing on computer science and Media, in preparation for pursuing a degree at a 4 year college. Solares’ ability to re-focus on his studies can be attributed in part to his mentor, Don Kendall, 75, of Newtonville, and the John Andrew Mazie Memorial Foundation (JAMMF).

JAMMF is a nonprofit organization that operates the Mazie Mentoring Program and is dedicated to transforming at-risk or disadvantaged youth into adults of promise. Founded in 1998, the unique goal-oriented scholarship award giving program pairs high school sophomores, who may lack parental guidance, financial resources or emotional support at home, with adult volunteer mentors who can help them thrive.

In March 2012, Kendall, a retired project manager, was matched with Solares. As a father of eight, grandfather of 17 and great grandfather of three, Kendall was confident he would be able to connect with the teen. He was challenged to help Solares realize his full potential both in and outside of the classroom.  The duo began to meet at least twice a month to go to the library to work on Solares’ homework, ride bikes, swim in Kendall’s pool, and visit museums in Boston. Solares’ favorite outings include touring a local TV studio and visiting a computer store to get ideas for building a high powered PC. 

“When I first met Jonathan, he was bright and personable but needed help to create a path to a better future,” says Kendall. “Every day, he impresses me with his emotional maturity. He can handle more responsibilities than most students his age.”

When the duo can’t meet in person, they communicate via email. There is no academic or personal problem too big or too small that Kendall and Solares won’t discuss. For Kendall, being a mentor to Solares helped him to open his eyes to the struggles many teens face today, especially those of students growing up in a single-parent household. On May 8, Kendall was honored for the direct impact he has made in Solares’ life, helping to forge what he describes as a big brother-little brother relationship, during the Mazie Mentoring Program’s mentor recognition dinner.

“Being Jonathan’s mentor gave me a better understanding as to what high school kids are up against today, some of which is far more complicated than when I was in school,” says Kendall. “To be able to pass on what I’ve learned  from experience and be present for someone who needed a friend was a wonderful opportunity. I hope to continue my relationship with Jonathan.”

In the last 16 years, the Mazie Mentoring Program has helped more than 500 young people go on to lead more fulfilled and successful lives while inspiring the adult volunteer mentors who work with them.  Each year, 60 Framingham and Waltham High School students are accepted into the program. More than 90 percent of those students graduate from high school and more than 70 percent go on to college or other post-secondary training programs.