Jeaiza M. Quinones, a 2011 St. Croix Central High graduate and Miss Central High 2011, had some great mentors in high school and wants to provide other local girls with the same opportunity.
In a grassroots effort Quinones, 20 years old, has started the ANE VI Mentorship Program For Young Women.
“I was lucky to have had great male mentors, but every girl should have female mentors,” Quinones said. “I have great, responsible parents, but I recognize that not all girls have good parental guidance.”
The Rev. Diana Elston at Word in Seasons Ministry was her first female mentor, she said, and the relationship meant a lot to her.
Quinones had the first informational meeting for mentors in March. About 22 women have applied to be mentors, she said, and eight are on board with various backgrounds. Genevieve Whitaker, VI Youth Advocacy Coalition director, has been helping Quinones get the program off the ground.
Quinones said girls in grades nine through 12 that join ANE will experience something new in terms of mentorship by meeting and being taken under the wing of women who live by example and strive to be the epitome of women of excellence. They will gain a new and positive experience by bonding with other women just like them.
Girls are seeing negative examples of “role models” plastered all over television and on their computer screens every day, Quinones said. They need to meet with true role models face to face. They need to be led, through experience, and by example.
Quinones said "ane" is the Japanese word for elder sister, the position that mentors will play in the lives of the young women they will be mentoring. She thought of "ane" because a dear friend of hers that she looked up to is in the military in Japan.
“We hope to be more like an older sister and role model, rather than instructors,” Quinones said. “The sisterly relationship we hope to develop with girls will enable us to reach out and reach deeper on a more personal level with them.”
“ANE also stands for A New Experience,” Quinones added. “The program aims to provide young women with new experiences.”
The mentors are planning different activities for girls, such as photography, music, makeup, and etiquette workshops, movie nights, straight talks, community service and different outings just for girls. Quinones said they want to provide activities for girls throughout the summer.
Quinones said ANE can also stand for Ambition Nobility Education.
The group’s mission is to instill a new sense of ambition by working with girls on college preparation as well as hosting workshops conducted by various business owners and entrepreneurs, she explained.
“We will work to instill a sense of nobility in our young women,” Quinones said. “Our biggest focus will be stressing the importance of education.”
Mentors will teach through their own life experiences, volunteer as tutors, and advise girls on anything under the sun.
She has been in touch with the administration at St. Croix Education Complex High School and Central High School to promote the organization and pass out applications.
Group meetings will be held weekly, while mentors and their specific charges will be encouraged to meet up at least one time every week separately from the group meetings, either through online discussions, telephone calls or in person. Mentors will have journals to record their activities with their charges and will have to report to Quinones each week at group meetings so she can sign off on their journals and keep up with their progress. Parents are also given guidelines on the program and are expected to participate in the program.
Inquiries about volunteering and more information can be obtained by sending email to Quinones at anementorsvi@gmail.com.
Quinones spent her freshman year of college at Norfolk State University majoring in music. She has taken a year off to work and is currently employed at Innovative.
