Families and young adults in St. Louis can work with a Blackburn mentor by video. Our team is based in Los Angeles, and St. Louis clients in Clayton, Ladue, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield and the city itself meet a dedicated mentor online every week, scheduled in Central time. We work most with high school students and their parents, and with young adults deciding whether their future is in St. Louis or somewhere else.
“Where did you go to high school?”
In St. Louis, that question is famously the first thing people ask. It says something real about the city: high school identity runs deep, families are rooted, and many people stay close to where they grew up. For students, it can mean high school feels like it matters even more than it does elsewhere.
It also means that a teenager who is struggling can feel very visible, in a community where everyone seems to know everyone. A mentor from outside that circle can be easier to talk to.
Common reasons St. Louis families reach out
- A student at an independent or public high school who is falling behind, and resisting help from parents.
- A senior who needs a plan for the year and for what comes after.
- A college student who came home after a hard semester.
- A young adult who stayed in town after college and feels stuck.
For the last group, our page on young adults feeling stuck is a useful read.
Staying or going: the young adult question
Many St. Louis young adults face a real choice: build a life near family, where costs are reasonable and roots are strong, or move to a bigger coastal city. Neither answer is wrong. A mentor helps think it through practically, with a budget, a job search plan and a timeline, instead of drifting into a decision by default.
Practical details
- Time zone: St. Louis is on Central time, two hours ahead of Los Angeles. A 4 pm session is 2 pm for the mentor.
- Format: 30 or 60 minute video sessions, weekly or several times a week.
- Between sessions: short text or phone check-ins.
- Parents: involved from the intro call for high school students, with regular progress updates.
Missouri summers are hot and humid, and the school calendar generally runs from mid to late August through May. Many families find summer is a good time to start, so the routine is in place before fall.
The county and city divide
St. Louis City and St. Louis County are separate governments, and the region is a patchwork of dozens of small municipalities and school districts. Families often choose where to live around a particular school, and students may commute across the county each day. Because sessions are online, none of that matters for mentoring: a student in Chesterfield and a student in the Central West End have the same access, without a drive.
How to start
- Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or yourself and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
- Have a free intro call. Our team reviews it personally and sets up a short call.
- Meet the mentor. We match each person with a mentor whose experience and style fit.
- Start the plan. 30 or 60 minute video sessions on a weekly or monthly plan, scheduled in your local time.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor is not a tutor, therapist or admissions counselor. It is a consistent adult who helps a student or young adult set goals and follow through. Parents of teens usually begin with mentoring for high school students, and college students with mentoring for college students. See how video sessions work on the online mentoring page.
Related
- Online mentoring in Chicago
- How to talk to a teen who will not talk
- Young adult mentoring
- Online Mentoring in Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri
Common questions
Do you have mentors based in St. Louis?
Our team is in Los Angeles. St. Louis clients meet their mentor by video and keep in touch by text and phone between sessions.
My teenager will not listen to us. Will they listen to a mentor?
Often a teenager is more open with an adult outside the family. The student helps set the goals, which also makes it more likely they engage.
Can you help a young adult decide whether to leave St. Louis?
Yes. Mentors help work through big decisions like a move with practical steps: budgets, job searches and a realistic timeline.
How are rates set?
We do not publish prices. Rates depend on session length and frequency and are reviewed on the free intro call.
Get started
Would it help to talk through your situation in St. Louis? 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.