Yes mam, no sir, please and thank you are all phrases less commonly heard from the mouths of elementary school children.

 With short attention spans and witty remarks, some school-aged children tend to disregard manners and etiquette.

To combat this, Kelso Elementary School teachers Artisha Holmes and Shaisley Charles created the Young Lady In U (YLIU) mentor program.

Offering guidance with education, hygiene, etiquette, community involvement and leadership skills, YLIU mentors influence and teach their young ladies to strive to be better citizens and attain their full potential.

Established in 2008, the YLIU is a mentoring program created to offer girls from the ages of third to fifth grade a safe and positive place in which they can learn and thrive.

“Our purpose is to ensure that our students are achieving,” Holmes explained. “We make sure that they are learning in school and have the self-esteem they need to be successful.”

Although the program is only offered at Dogan and Kelso elementary schools, there are currently about 30 young ladies participating in YLIU. With consent from their parents, the girls take part in the YLIU monthly meetings held afterschool.

“Being a part of YLIU allows the girls to second guess themselves in certain situations,” Holmes said. “If they were to witness an altercation, they would be conscious of the fact that they are a part of YLIU and walk away from the situation.”

According to Holmes, mentors get to speak with the girls about what has been going on in their lives lately and how they have handled certain circumstances. They also teach the young ladies new techniques concerning their etiquette, hygiene and school - work. For the girls, the most exciting part of YLIU is their community involvement.

Their most recent service to the community was the “Walk for Literacy,” a cause that was able to collect more 1,300 books and raise literacy awareness. The success of the cause also allowed YLIU to give each student at Kelso two books to keep.

 “I like the stuff we do for the community like the literacy walk because we get to raise books for our school and tell people that it is important to know how to read and write,” said fourth grader Alejandra Luna.

The effect YLIU has on its young ladies is positive and everlasting. The girls are able to speak with their mentors about things they may not necessarily discuss at home, such as how to properly sit at the table or how to be an effective leader. Any topic that may concern the life of a young lady is covered at YLIU.

“YLIU helps me because it teaches me how to be a young lady and how to express myself,” said fourth grader Kalynn Brooks.

 Xiomara Aguirre echoed her remark.

“YLIU helps me act like a young lady and we have good mentors who teach us important things and take us to do fun stuff in our community,” Aguirre said.

The YLIU mentors said they also notice the impact that their program and guidance have had on the girls. Just from October to January, they have seen a significant change in the way the young ladies carry themselves.
             “I think it has really impacted the girls to think before they do things. And to stand along so people can see and admire the way they handle situations and say to herself, “I want to do what she is doing,” Holmes said.

Charles explained, “You can just tell by their demeanor. The way they walk, the way they talk, their behavior. You can tell that they stand out, which is exactly what we want. We don’t want them to think they are better, but to show an example and let others want to become what they are.”

Since the young ladies only meet once a month, the mentors take an initiative to include them in different school functions and activities to keep them interested and aware of their community.

“We like to make them a part of the school campus. When we did the literacy walk, they were hands on with the collecting of books and talking to parents and letting them know the importance of having a literacy walk. We make them a part of everything we do,” Charles said.

Holmes and Charles said as mentors, they pride themselves in being an example for young girls and creating a positive path for their future. They shared that being able to influence a group of girls is fun and rewarding and that they enjoy being able to change lives.

“My greatest reward is the girls coming to me and asking me personal questions that they find trust in me to ask. Being able to be there for them and having them know they can trust me with anything is a great feeling,” Charles said.

As the founder of Young Lady In U, Holmes shared her main goal as a leader and mentor.

 “I just really want to impact their lives. I want them to understand who they are and where they belong in this society,” she said. “I want them to realize that they can dream big, they can do big things and that they do not have to limit themselves to what they may see within their community or home. I want them to realize that there is a lot out there and with the right guidance, you can get there as long as you believe in yourself.”

The Young Lady In U program has created a place where girls can learn skills they need to be successful and respected, as well as new things about themselves. It has set the standards for young ladies to be conscious of their actions and community while also having a great time.

The mentors hope to expand the program to other schools and hopefully become a nonprofit organization that would take this influential program to new communities and reach many new young ladies.