Who: Caring adults who can share 30 minutes of their time each week.

Why: All students could benefit from having a mentor. There are already requests being made.

** More information can be found on The Forsyth County Schools' Website. Go to District Departments, Student Support Services, Prevention Services, and School-based Student Mentoring.**

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As an old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea.  Finally catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this.  The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.

“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man.  “How can your effort make any difference?”

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand, then threw it safely into the waves.  “It makes a difference to this one,” he said.

DID YOU KNOW? Students in a mentoring program are :

·        53% less likely to skip school

·        46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs

·        33% less likely to hit someone

·        more likely to increase their grades and raise their goals

The experts all agree: any effort to help the next generation - especially children at risk - must include mentoring.  Mentoring is one of the key activities included in a comprehensive violence prevention and healthy development program approach. Mentoring can help young people change direction and do better academically and socially.  Forsyth County Schools mentoring program is a county initiative supported by grants and the Cumming/Forsyth County Council on Youth.  The program is based on the Search Institutes 40 Developmental Assets model with a focus on mentoring as a positive means to build healthy children.

A mentor is a one-to-one relationship that fosters a caring and supportive relationship with an adult role model.  One elementary student described her mentor as “Someone who is very nice.  She goes walking with me.  She listens to me.”  Becoming a mentor involves committing to spending 30 minutes per week during school hours with a student for the school year and hopefully the following year.  What does a mentor do?  They might

• Read to a student
• Play a game
• Help with an assignment
• Do an activity
• Just LISTEN

We need individuals, businesses, church organizations, and community members to become involved in the mentoring program.  All students could benefit from having a mentor. Last year over 150 mentors were recruited and trained.  The mentoring program is available to elementary, middle and alternative school students.  Accomplishing the goal of a mentor for every student requires collaboration and commitment in our community.  Our children need your support, care and investment.

How do you become a mentor?  Mentor training requires attending one two-hour session, completing an application and a background check.  County-wide training dates are available by checking the web site https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/ . Unable to attend a training?  Would like to have training during day hours or at your organization or worksite?  No problem - Mentor training is available upon request.  Last year training was held at churches, civic groups, mortgage companies, schools, and many other locations. 

Last school year, over 350 mentors gave more than 5,000 hours of their time to support and encourage students.  Every elementary and middle school has a mentoring program. A mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides young people with support, friendship, reinforcement and constructive example. Mentors are good listeners, people who care, and want to help young people develop existing strengths. Currently, there is a waiting list for mentors at each school.

For more information:  http://www.mentoring.org/