There’s an old adage that says it takes a village to raise a child.
Although most of us don’t live in villages these day, we do live in a great community. Part of that community’s greatness is the willingness of its citizens to reach out to others.
Anyone who has raised a child can testify to the challenges. If your children are fortunate enough to be raised in a carefree home environment insulated from the pressures that often challenge the adults around them, you can count yourself and them lucky. For many children, home life is far from perfect. If it were, there wouldn’t be any need for organizations such as Communities in Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Upstarts, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children or the others who provide mentoring, support or even shelter for children in our community.
For many of these organizations, donations — especially of time — are the key to operating successful programs and impacting children. Positive role models, consistent with their time and attention, offer a solid, if however brief, break from the other trials and tribulations of life.
As January — designated as National Mentoring Month by President Bush — nears an end, consider what impact you could have by taking time to mentor in this community. Communities in Schools of South Central Texas operates programs in 30 schools in Comal and Guadalupe counties. One hundred or more students can be Communities in Schools participants in some of those campuses. According to CIS, mentors — especially young men — are in high demand. CIS mentors undergo background checks and are expected to meet with a child throughout the school year once a week for at least 30 minutes, either during lunch hour or elective classes.
Mentors provide children with guidance, attention and academic help. If you want to make a difference in some one’s life, then start with helping a child. If you do a good job, then not only is your impact experienced today, it starts a chain reaction of positive experiences that hopefully that child will carry forward into adulthood.
Take part in making a better future for at-risk youth by becoming a mentor. For more information, call Mentoring Coordinator Melissa Steel at 620-4247 or visit www.cisnewbraunfels.org.
