Become a Mentor! Make a difference in a child’s life.

By Phil and Janet Winter

We all like to support worthwhile causes. Yet we are inundated with requests to make financial contributions to these causes. Mentoring, however, only requires some time, and provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that only direct involvement can give. Here’s how you can get involved in this much needed activity.

1. What is mentoring?

A mentor is not a substitute parent or teacher. Rather, the mentor may be a friend, counselor, guide, roll model, confidant, or tutor. In many cases the mentor may be the first person outside the family with whom the student has a grown up relationship.

In Forsyth County, a mentor program is available in elementary, middle, and alternative schools. Early in the year, the school counselors and teachers identify students who can benefit from mentoring. A letter is sent home explaining the program and requesting the parent’s approval. If the parents approve, the counselors match a mentor with a student.

How are the students identified? They are students who can benefit from additional adult involvement in their lives. They may have issues with turning work in, attendance, organization, language, or any number of other things.

2. Why become a mentor?

First you are helping a child. Although the progress may be slow, it is there non-the-less. The best way to ensure our nation prospers in the future is to positively affect the life of a child today – one child at a time. Secondly, you will get as much from mentoring as they do. Third, there is a huge need, particularly for male mentors. You might be thinking, “I have enough trouble with my own kids!” Many mentors also have young children. Even some school teachers are mentors.

3. What does the mentor do?

Mentors meet their students at school during regular school hours. Generally, we spend from thirty minutes to an hour with the student. We may spend that time reading with them, talking about things important to them, working on the computer, assisting with school work, or even playing games. You might even find yourself reviewing such arcane things as dividing fractions!

But the most important thing you can do is Listen!

4. How do I get involved in mentoring?

This is easy. There’s a required two-hour training program, and you must have a satisfactory background check. For more information, contact Susie LeMieux Brookshire at 770-887-2461 ext. 2340 or sbrookshire@forsyth.k12.ga.us. Do it now, as a training class is scheduled for November 16, 2004, 6:30 til 8:30 at the Board of Education building.

5. What to expect?

Don’t expect miracles. But, over the school year you will see your student open up, become more mature, accept more responsibility, make better choices, and become more organized. Each child is different, and each one changes in different ways. We like to think that we have expanded their view of life’s possibilities. And some day, when they’re older, maybe they’ll say, “By golly, my mentor was right!”

Phil and Janet Winter have been mentoring at Vickery Creek Middle School for five years, and meet with their students for about an hour per week. They own their own website design business, www.webdesignpartners.com. They can be reached through their website or via philwinter@mindspring.com.