January 7, 2019
January is National Mentoring Month and Pinellas County Schools celebrates nearly 2,400 active mentors serving nearly 3,500 students. Pinellas County Schools’ mentoring programs include general mentors and tutors, Lunch Pals, Take Stock in Children, 5000 Role Models of Excellence, Girlfriends, St. Petersburg Promise, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Peer-to-Peer Mentoring.
Research has shown that mentors play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools needed to make responsible decisions, stay focused and engaged in school.
Launched in 2002 by the National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Mentoring Month focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits can work together to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for young people. This campaign celebrates mentoring and the positive effect it can have on young lives. Its goals are to:
- Raise awareness of mentoring in its various forms
- Recruit individuals to mentor, especially in programs that have waiting lists of young people
- Promote the rapid growth of mentoring by recruiting organizations to engage their constituents in mentoring.
For more information about the district’s mentoring program, contact the Office of Strategic Partnerships at 727-588-5050 visit pcsb.org/mentors.
