TEMPLE, Texas — One hundred and twenty Temple Independent School District fifth and sixth graders met their new mentors as the district hosted its Wildcat Mentors kickoff event on September 29th at the Ralph Wilson Youth Club. The Wildcat Mentor program pairs students with volunteers from the community and school district to provide companionship, support and positive role models.
The Wildcat Mentor program is now in its 14th year and continues to grow with almost 20 more mentees and mentors involved this school year. Thursday’s kickoff event gave mentors a chance to meet their students for the first time to share a meal and some fun while getting to know each other.
“I am very excited for Wildcat Mentors to kick off this year,” said Yara Thomas, student support specialist for TISD and member of the Wildcat Mentor board. “We currently have 120 mentors willing and ready to greet our students with love and affection. It is with the help of community members that we can make a significant impact on the lives of our Temple students.”
Wildcat Mentors are expected to spend at least two hours a month with their student and the program’s mission is to develop one-on-one relationships and support efforts to empower students to make positive choices enabling them to maximize their personal potential. The program also serves to provide students with regular and consistent contact with trusted adults, emphasize the value of learning and provide academic support, encourage educational and vocational exploration and provide information about opportunities in higher education. Many of the mentors return to the program year after year and those volunteers seem to benefit almost as much as the students they are mentoring.
"Each mentee has been so different, but they have all been so accepting of me as a mentor,” said Scott Seela, in his 14th year as a Wildcat Mentor. “They are so excited when I show up to see them. Serving the kids and getting to know some great kids who are going through a few struggles in their lives, has just been so rewarding to me.”
Even with the growth in the program this year, there is still room for additional volunteers. To learn more about the Wildcat Mentor program or to volunteer to serve as a mentor visit the TISD website at www.tisd.org, click on the community tab and then select Wildcat Mentors from the drop-down menu.