We help students achieve success and become future leaders of tomorrow.

Breakfast Club is a before-school mentorship program for 8th graders that provides academic mentorship, helps build their confidence and self-esteem, and teaches skills to be successful in their transition to high school. Breakfast Club is a program of Leaders United, an affinity group of United Way of Lake County, and is in partnership with Robert Abbott Middle School in Waukegan.

Middle school is a key time for mentorship. By mid-school year, a staggering percentage of 9th graders are failing in school. Mentorship programs like Breakfast Club can help provide a steady foundation of skills to successfully start and end the first year of high school.

Breakfast Club is a great way to start the day. Each session begins with a short icebreaker to start the conversation and encourage each student to engage in a quiet dialogue with his or her mentor before moving into academic assistance.

Leaders United mentors find that the time spent with their mentees is meaningful to each student's success.

"My first time mentoring with Breakfast Club was so rewarding that I decided to sign up for the next ones. It is great knowing that an hour out of your day can make a huge impact on the lives of these students. It was amazing to see how open and willing they are to connect with us. This initiative by Leaders United really transforms communities of Lake County and I can't wait for it to grow!" - Ninad Manier, ITW Construction Products