Most communities have afterschool programs that give school-aged students a safe place to go after the dismissal bell rings. The next step after simply providing a safe haven is to create a nurturing environment that develops young people's talents and supports their needs. A formal mentoring program can help to achieve this goal. In order to achieve the intended student outcomes, afterschool practitioners need to understand what makes mentoring models effective. To foster that understanding, these authors conducted a systematic review of the literature related to structured afterschool mentoring programs. Their study uncovered seven components and six activities proven through empirical research to be effective in formal afterschool mentoring programs. The search also revealed descriptions of three afterschool mentoring programs that effectively implement several of these components and activities.