Providing mentorship to young people in our community is one of the most important ways to volunteer. Local nonprofit BestPrep’s program, Cloud Coach, impacted more than 2,000 students in Minneapolis and St. Paul with the help of 2,000 volunteers during the 2021-2022 school year.

One Cloud Coach student at Highland Park High School said, “I have learned to not only think of my future decisions but also my decisions now. I can help set up myself for what I want to do after high school.”

Cloud Coach is an eight-week one-on-one online mentoring program that serves students in the entire ninth grade class of Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools in partnership with mentors from local companies. Aimed at helping students identify their aspirations and set goals, the program takes a directed approach at strengthening student motivation.

One Accenture volunteer shared, “I regained the spark of wanting/ enjoying volunteering and helping people. Since the pandemic, I felt off and this program was a reminder of my life purpose of helping others.”

Volunteering with BestPrep is a great way to make a difference in Minnesota students’ futures. Each year, more than 5,800 volunteers use their expertise to educate students on skills-based, practical experiences that prepare them for their future. BestPrep’s volunteer opportunities are high impact, low time commitment, and take place in the Twin Cities and throughout the state of Minnesota.

BestPrep is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization that provides educational programs to students in grades 4-12. Since 1976, BestPrep has impacted more than 1.7 million youth across Minnesota and provided educators with resources to ensure that students are college-prepared, work-ready, and career-bound. 

To learn about volunteering with BestPrep, go to https://bestprep.org/volunteer/.