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Work and wellness have long been linked in the field of psychology, but few researchers have studied this topic with rural emerging adults without a high school diploma. Overall, rural areas in the United States have higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment than nonrural areas. This narrative inquiry illuminates how precariousness in home and school contexts influenced the work trajectories and aspirations of ten 20- to 25-year-old research participants. Findings contribute to the psychology of working theory by illuminating the individual and contextual factors that generated possibility and constraint in the lives of young workers with limited education and significant adverse experiences. While traumatic experiences continued to trouble the lives of research participants, there was also evidence of post-traumatic growth, the construction of aspirational narratives, and positive future orientation. Community mentors, including teachers and employers, made a difference. Implications for educators and counselors are discussed.

Cross-age peer mentoring programs are not always effective, and some researchers have questioned the effectiveness of this model.  In this article, we use evaluation data to describe a project that has been going for twenty years.  The project enrolls high school students as mentors to struggling elementary school students.  The article reviews the current literature and details the perceptions of mentors and mentees regarding relational and academic benefits and disappointments.  Both mentors and mentees report that the project gave them purpose, motivation, and a sense of belonging in the school and community.  They also describe frustrations and regrets.  Some findings echo previous studies; however, by presenting a twenty-year retrospective, and including mentor and mentee voices, the article provides a unique contribution to the field.  The article provides an appendix with resources and recommendations for effective practices to those seeking to implement such a program.

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