Al’s Pals, a mentorship program that serves youth at McKenzie Court Community Center, Northington Elementary School, Maxwell Elementary School and Central Elementary School, is currently accepting applications and holding walk-in interviews through the end of the semester from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Center for Sustainable Service and Volunteerism in the Ferguson Center. Al’s Pals mentors serve at one of the four locations Mondays through Thursdays from 2:45 to 5 p.m., helping mentees complete their homework, strengthen reading and math skills and occasionally participate in some recreational and enrichment activities. Mentees are students in the first through the fifth grades and are paired with mentors for individual attention and assistance. According to the Al’s Pals website, more than 550 mentors served in the program this spring. Applications can be found online at volunteer.ua.edu/specialProjects.cfm and can be completed online or in paper form. There is a separate application document for returning mentors, also available on the website. Rides to and from Al’s Pals locations can be arranged and the need for a ride should be marked on the application. For more information, contact [email protected].

Compiled by Heather Buchanan