Helping Milik Achieve Success

Do you remember how trying middle school can be? Blake MacDonald does. That’s one of the reasons he decided to participate in Be a Middle School Mentor, an initiative of United Way of Allegheny County that matches middle school students with caring, adult mentors. Blake is a sales representative for Stryker Surgical, and for one hour each week, he meets with his mentee, Milik. They talk about sports, homework and career options. The duo is in their third year with Be a Middle School Mentor at Pittsburgh South Brook. After more than two years as a mentor, Blake says it best: “You might not think you’re a superhero. But just being there, listening and talking to these kids, that makes a big difference.”