VK2--Middle School Mentoring

VK2 is the middle school version of Mercy Street’s mentoring program in West Dallas. Our dream is for God to raise up a new generation of leaders in West Dallas who will live out lives both upward in worship and outward in service. We trust God to captivate the hearts of West Dallas youth through whatever means necessary. Yet, we believe God’s primary desire is to work through God's people.  And so VK2 exists to build on the 2 year foundation built by mentors in the elementary Vision Life program. We seek to equip mentors to journey with their students through the rocky, often awkward years of adolescence.  We hope after three years in middle school and 5 years of being mentored West Dallas youth might continue to be transformed and begin the process of maturing into young community leaders. Below is a description of the initiatives at Mercy Street which make up the VK2 program along with information about the staff coordinating the program.

VK2 Initiatives
One-on-One Mentoring Relationships – Currently we have 220 students engaged in this type of a relationship with a caring Christian adult. This makes up over 30 percent of the student body at the local middle school. Mentors are asked to see their students twice a month face-to-face and then contact them two additional times through some other means.

Monthly Events – Each month Mercy Street hosts an event to help foster these mentoring relationships.  Mentors and students are invited to come with their families and enjoy a particular activity together. Some events in the past have been ice skating, the country fair day, a mentor/student banquet, college tours, and an annual valentines forum on relationships.

Sports – Middle school students are invited to participate in the Mercy Street sports program.  We currently have leagues organized for soccer and baseball.

Pathways – Middle school students are invited to participate in Mercy Street’s bike shop, landscaping micro-enterprise, gardening, car shop, and art initiatives. All of these activities are done in small group settings enabling students to engage in relationships with the leaders.

Bible Study – Each coordinator hosts a weekly Bible study for particular students with mentors.  Students are selected based upon their willingness to attend, eagerness to learn, and their desire to be a community leader.

VK2 Coordinators: Garrett & Mindy Smith
The Smith’s moved to Dallas in 2005 after they got married to pursue Bible training at Dallas Theological Seminary in preparation for a lifetime of ministry. They anticipated returning overseas after their 2 year stint in Dallas, but God moved them across the river to West Dallas. Their hearts were captivated by the young people in this community. The Smiths moved into West Dallas and within 6 months took in their god daughter Amber (a teen in the Mercy Street program) in January 2008. In addition to Amber God enlarged their family when Mindy gave birth to their daughter, Hattibelle, in May of 2009. 

Mindy is overseeing the mentoring program and Bible studies for women and young girls and Garrett oversees the men with their boys.

You can reach them at
Mindy – (812)345-3804 (cell) or Mindy@mercystreetdallas.org
Garrett – (812)345-3804 (cell) or Garrett@mercystreetdallas.org
or in their office at 214-905-1042 x 105