Read our Q&A with Michael E. Ray, Founder of Mentoring With Magic.
What inspired you to become a provider?
The late Mr. Eddie Leavell inspired me to be a mentor. He was my coach, my mentor, and a father figure. Mr. Leavell came into my life when I was nine years old. At that time, my dad had been passed away for five years, and Mr. Leavell took me under his wings. He was my basketball coach in 7th and 8th grade. He motivated me to graduate junior high school. He supported me in high school and came to all my football and basketball games. After graduating high school, he helped me get into college. After college, I became one of his assistant basketball coaches. Although I didn’t use the term mentor, he clearly was mentoring me in life. All in all, Mr. Leavell was my inspiration to become a provider.
Share your background and any exciting things you’ve done to give back to your community.
I have over 30 years of mentoring and program management experience in a clinical setting. I have mentored students at more than 40 schools throughout Central Indiana. I have developed summer programs as well as other school break programming.
I am also an experienced magician. I have assisted with planning, implementing and set up mentoring models and processes in Washington D.C. public school systems. I am also a Certified Crisis Prevention and Intervention Instructor. I received the 2015 Jessica McCarthy award from the System of Care Conference. I also received a 2019 Majestic Award for working with young black men. I have volunteered for 10 years in Indiana Black Expo’s Youth Summer Celebration. I participated in a Suicide Prevention Walk. I volunteer with the Rev. Mozel Sanders Thanksgiving Food Drive. I have donated to numerous organizations throughout the city. I have donated a lot of my time performing magic throughout Central Indiana’s nursing homes, schools and churches.
What kinds of services do you provide?
Social, Recreational, Therapeutic, Educational, Life Skills, and Parental Support. I also offer services in Community Supervision, Habilitation, Mentoring With Art, School Collaborative Program, and MWM’s Magic, Music & Art Camp. For corporations and other organizations, I offer Team Building & Training Sessions.
Whom/where do you serve?
Our clients have an age range of 6 years old to adults. We serve all throughout the state of Indiana.
Share any relevant background about your organization, such as how/why/when it was created.
I worked for Password Community Mentoring for 13 years. Their doors closed in 2012. Shortly after, I launched Mentoring With Magic. I am a magician, hence the name, Mentoring With Magic. However, the real magic is improving the quality of life in our clients. Mentoring With Magic has been in existence for 8 years now. You know how firemen run into buildings that everyone else runs out of? Well we at Mentoring With Magic are like firemen; we run to families that everyone else runs away from.
Share how your organization is making a positive impact.
Since 2012, Mentoring With Magic has been increasing school attendance, improving academic achievement, improving attitude and behavior, teaching independent living skills, increasing parent involvement in schools, increasing goal setting, developing cognitive skills, encouraging independent thinking, inspiring self-expression, and strengthening motor skills. We also are a success in extra-curricular programs. Overall, we provide families with a sense of accomplishment.
Why do you like working as a Choices provider?
Choices has been in this field over 20 years! As a provider, it’s helpful to collaborate with an organization that has a vast amount of experience serving youth and families. I also love the strength-based and community-based approach Choices take when interacting with families and providers. From a provider’s perspective, when questions or concerns arise, Choices always communicates in a professional and timely manner. Choices is receptive to feedback and is committed to building relationships with providers. Thanks, with appreciation!
Anything else you’d like to share?
Mentoring With Magic believes the real magic is the support that we provide for our families. Which in turn, provides our families hope, and hope provides our families with possibilities!
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