January 2016’s National Mentoring Month has come to a close, but mentoring must not be forgotten about for the rest of the year! All children need a caring adult friend — someone they can trust and have fun with, someone who will listen and encourage them. However, not all children have such support and positive role models. In a 2014 mentor report, one in three youth reaches age 19 without having a mentor of any kind.

“Mentor in real life” is the reoccurring theme for the rest of this year. Mentors bring many real life everyday experiences for youth to be involved. Having a mentor means that a young person has an adult who cares about them and that they are not alone in dealing with day-to-day challenges. Mentoring is a critical component in young people’s lives, helping them make the decisions that ultimately lead to improved opportunities and connections, which has an impact in real life. Mentoring is linked to improved academic, social and economic prospects for young people and ultimately strengthens our community.

STARS Mentoring Program is seeking individuals in Freeborn County and the eastern portion of Faribault County to become a mentor and to be a star in a child’s life. A mentor focuses on the needs of their mentees and encourages them to make positive and healthy choices in life. Mentors meet two to four times per month with their mentees to do activities that they both enjoy. Some examples are walking, sledding, fishing, sports, crafts, swimming, biking, visiting the library, baking, homework, movies and much more. Along with that, we have group events every four to six weeks featuring fun things like bowling at Holiday Lanes, a night at the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Community Education Boat House kayaking, paddleboarding and canoeing, Albert Lea Art Center painting activities and an annual picnic in the summer!

In real life, who do you turn to? Why don’t you consider a mentoring relationship to let a young person know that he or she matters. Mentoring builds relationships that are as meaningful for the mentor as they are for the young person. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, contact Mary Jo Volkman, program coordinator, at 507-383-5272. Those interested will submit an application, allow background and reference checks, be interviewed, attend orientation and report to a coordinator regularly.

I wish to take this time to thank the many valuable mentors in our program, Mayor Vern Rasmussen for proclaiming January in Albert Lea as Mentoring Month and the whole Freeborn County community for supporting STARS Mentoring Program during January National Mentoring Month. Please don’t forget about the future months ahead during 2016 to support STARS Mentoring Program.

 

Mary Jo Volkman

program coordinator

STARS Mentoring Program