More volunteer mentors needed

By Marlis McAllister, Special to the Town Crier

Why is mentoring useful? Because adolescence can be a particularly difficult time of life. Many changes in school, family and friends occur during this period. Sometimes it takes an objective friend to help a student down the path to success.

Partners for New Generations helps provide that objective friend, in the form of a mentor. The PNG mentoring program has proved very successful as measured both by the number of mentor requests from students and by student improvement. As a result of the program’s success, PNG needs more mentors.

Here’s what one student had to say to his mentor: “You have had a tremendous impact on my life and have opened doors that I never thought I had.

“You showed me the world of literature and arts and helped me see the power in books and the importance of reading.

“I really enjoyed all the variety of foods you showed me. … I loved all the fun jokes you told me!

“The dictionary defines a mentor as a trusted counselor or guide, but from my experiences with you I would add that … (a) mentor is most importantly a friend.”

Mentors enjoy the experience too. Here is what one had to say: “At times I found myself wondering if I could make a difference in someone’s life just having lunch every other week. I have seen positive changes in (my student). … Today we talked about it. He said in his new, self-confident way that it had made a big difference to him to have someone to talk with since his family did not talk about the things he wanted to talk about - getting credits in school, graduating, getting a job.”

Partners for New Generations needs 10 more volunteers. If you have a few hours a month to give to mentor a student, please call PNG at 949-0828, ext. 4, or e-mail partners@losaltosrotary.org.