January is National Mentoring Month. In Urbana School District #116, we are celebrating our mentors who are building meaningful connections with our youth. A mentor lunch is planned for Jan. 18.  Mentors will also receive a benefit card to use at area businesses on Jan. 26.

 

Research shows that by spending just one hour a week with a young person, he or she is more likely to volunteer, get involved in extracurriculars and hold a leadership position. Students who have a mentor are also less likely to skip school and use drugs, and more likely to go to college. One in 3 young people in America are growing up without a mentor outside their family. By growing the mentoring movement, we have a chance to close the mentoring gap and increase young people’s access to caring adults.

 

C-U One-to-One is a school based mentoring program for students in Urbana and Champaign. It is a relationship building program designed to build student’s self-confidence and encourage them to stay in school and graduate.

 

Commitment:

Mentors commit to meeting with their mentees one hour a week during the school day for one (1) school year. Although we just require a one year commitment, our hope is that mentors will recommit at the end of that year and, if possible, continue through high school graduation.

Requirements:

• Ability to meet with mentee one-on-one, once per week
• Willingness to comply with guidelines offered at training
• Genuine concern for children
• Ability to commit to one year of mentoring with the understanding you will be asked to continue beyond one year 

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please attend an upcoming mentor training:

• Jan. 19 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Urbana Middle School
• Feb. 8 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Champaign Unit 4 Mellon Building
• Feb. 15 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Champaign Unit 4 Mellon Building

For more information about mentoring, or to sign up for a training session, please contact Angie Armstrong at: (217)337-0853 or aarmstrong@usd116.org