Celebrate National Mentoring Month with Be A Mentor

Be A Mentor (BAM), a one-on-one, school-based mentoring initiative, will celebrate the power of mentoring throughout the month of January to recognize National Mentoring Month. Be A Mentor will hold National Mentoring Month events throughout the month of January. Events include hosting an aid station at the Charleston Marathon on January 13^th, mentor networking events, and a profit share happy hour on January 30^th from 5:30-7:30pm at Tavern & Table.

Launched in 2002 as a national movement, National Mentoring Month is an annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults. Each year, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President and the United States Congress and has included the support of individuals such as Maya Angelou, former President Bill Clinton, and Cal Ripken, Jr.

Be A Mentor provides one-on-one, relationship based programs that provide ongoing, stable support and guidance for children while exposing them to a wide variety of post-secondary education and career options. The organization currently has over 300 mentors meeting with students in 18 schools across all grade levels. Mentors meet with their mentees once a week throughout the school year for an hour during the student’s lunch and/or activity period.

Just one hour a week has been proven to change a child’s life for the better. MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, one of the founding organizations of National Mentoring Month, reports that children with a mentor are:

• 55% more likely to be enrolled in college
• 81% more likely to get involved with extracurricular activities
• 130% more likely to hold leadership positions

Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor. Each school BAM serves has a waiting list of students wanting to be matched with a mentor. From elementary school students who need a Lunch Buddy, to middle-school students looking for a confidence boost, to high school students seeking career guidance- there is a need at all grade levels.

To become a mentor or get your business involved in mentoring, fill out an application at www.beamentornow.org. Volunteers must participate in a one hour training, pass a background check and provide two references. BAM accepts volunteers on a rolling basis throughout the school year.

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This is an unedited press release

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