TEMPLE, Texas — Temple Independent School District’s Wildcat Mentor program kicked off its 16th year of service as the program hosted its annual Wildcat Mentor kickoff event on Thursday (October 2) 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.
More than 110 TISD fourth and fifth graders met their new mentors at the Kickoff event. Thursday’s event is designed to give mentors a chance to meet their students for the first time to share a meal and some fun while getting to know each other in a relaxed setting.
“The Wildcat Mentor program is an opportunity to positively influence the children in our community,” said Bre’Layshia Alexander, President of the Wildcat Mentor board, a member of the Temple ISD Board of Trustees, and now in her eighth year with the program. “We all need a mentor, but it’s extra special to invest your time in a child. Time is the most valuable thing we own, as we never get it back. Our hope is that the relationships established today will last a lifetime.”
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. In fact, they say the program makes a lasting impact on everyone who participates, regardless of their role.
"Each year, our mentors and mentees eagerly look forward to the beginning of the year kickoff,” said Terris Goodwin, Vice-President of the Wildcat Mentor board and now in her fifth year with the program. “It’s an opportunity to meet, connect, and have fun outside the classroom. What makes this program so powerful is the diverse group of mentors in our community who choose to invest in our children, the future of our community.”
Wildcat Mentors still has room for additional volunteers to serve as mentors, especially males. The program will continue to accept applications for this year until October 30th. To learn more about the Wildcat Mentor program or to volunteer to serve as a mentor, visit the program’s page on the Temple ISD website at the following link: WILDCAT MENTORS – Wildcat Mentors – Temple Independent School District (tisd.org). Persons interested in serving as mentors may also reach out to Yara Thomas at [email protected] or by phone at (254) 215-6957. The program has additional students it could serve this year if additional volunteers sign up to serve as mentors. Volunteers wishing to be mentors will undergo background checks before being approved to work with students.
“It warms our hearts to see our community partners coming together to make a difference in the lives of Temple ISD students,” said Thomas, student support specialist for Temple ISD and a member of the Wildcat Mentor board. “It only takes two hours a month for each month a child is in school to make a lasting difference in their life. We’ll be here every step of the way to support and guide our mentors through this rewarding journey. Make every moment count – mentor a TISD student and change a life forever!”