With graduation quickly approaching, PEAK mentor Loreen and senior Alyssa reflect on the past four years. How would you describe your mentor/mentee when you first met them? Alyssa: Loreen had an enormous amount of energy and I was extremely nervous to be around her. She was very happy to meet me and it made her easily likeable. Loreen: Alyssa has always been outgoing, bright, and feisty! She was still figuring out what kind of student she was going to be. Always smart, but a bit rebellious. How has your mentee grown since freshman year? Loreen: Alyassa has become more confident, knows what she likes and doesn't like, and if she wants to acheive something, she can and does! Tell us about you

PEAK is excited to announce that Fred O'Connor and his junior mentee Ernie Chavez have won the Match of the Year Award for the 2016 IMPACT Awards. The IMPACT Awards is a statewide recognition event to honor companies, organizations and key individuals making a difference in mentoring. They are presented by the Illinois Mentoring Partnership, which is a non profit dedicated to expanidng the quaility and quanitity of mentoring relationships for children and youth in Illinois. Ernie will get the opportunity to co-host the awards alongside reporter Leanna Trotter of NBC news. Fred and Ernie are a perfect match. Fred, a father of three, devotes a significant amount of time to mentoring Ernie. Fre