Blackburn Mentoring works with families on Chicago’s North Shore by video. Students and young adults in Winnetka, Glencoe, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Highland Park and Lake Forest can meet one dedicated mentor online, weekly or several times a week, with sessions scheduled in Central time and text and phone check-ins in between. Our team is based in Los Angeles.
The North Shore setting
The suburbs along Lake Michigan north of Evanston are close-knit, leafy and known for strong public high schools and a deep bench of independent schools. Many parents commute downtown on the Metra Union Pacific North line, and family calendars fill with travel sports, music, tutoring and summer travel.
In communities this tight, kids can feel watched. Everyone knows whose son made varsity and whose daughter is applying where. For a teenager who is struggling, that can make it harder to ask for help from anyone local. A mentor who lives outside the social circle can be easier to talk to.
What families on the North Shore often want help with
- Follow-through. A bright student whose grades slip because assignments start at 10 pm. Our guide on teen procrastination explains why.
- Ownership. A teen who has had a lot managed for them and needs to start managing it themselves before college. See how much independence a teenager needs.
- A reset after a hard start. A college student who came home in December or May with a semester that did not go as planned.
- Launch. A graduate back in the family home, working on a job search in the Loop or deciding whether to move to another city.
Getting through a Chicago winter
From November to March, North Shore days are short and gray, and outdoor activity drops off for many teens. Motivation often dips with it, especially in January after the holidays. Mentors plan for that season on purpose: a fixed wake-up time, a workout that does not depend on the weather, and smaller weekly targets that keep momentum through the hardest months. Our guide to building a daily routine has a simple starting template.
How sessions run in Central time
The North Shore is two hours ahead of Los Angeles. A 4 pm session after school is 2 pm for the mentor, and evening sessions after practice are easy to place. Sessions are 30 or 60 minutes on a weekly or monthly plan, and they can continue from a summer house up north or a college dorm without a break.
- Start with the five-minute assessment.
- Have a free intro call, with a parent included for any high school student.
- Get matched with one mentor and set two or three goals.
- Meet weekly or more, with check-ins between sessions and progress updates to parents with permission.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor is not a tutor, therapist or admissions counselor. The role is practical: weekly goals, honest accountability and one adult who stays steady. For teenagers, see mentoring for high school students; for young adults who feel stuck, see young adults feeling stuck. Families in the city and other suburbs can read about online mentoring in Chicago.
Related
- Online mentoring in Chicago
- Mentoring for families
- The senior year slump
- How to prepare a teen for college
Common questions
Do you meet with clients in Winnetka or Lake Forest?
No. Our team is in Los Angeles, and mentoring on the North Shore happens by video, with text and phone contact between sessions.
Can sessions continue over the summer?
Yes. Sessions are online, so they continue from a lake house, a summer job or a trip, as long as there is a quiet spot and a connection.
My child already has a tutor. Is this the same thing?
No. Tutors teach subject matter. A mentor works on goals, planning, habits and follow-through, and can coordinate with a tutor if you would like.
Get started
Want to talk about a student or young adult on the North Shore? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.