Empowering youth to make smart choices

[aesop_character img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Screen-Shot-2016-12-29-at-1.43.26-PM.png” name=”Val Parker” caption=”Power 4 Youth executive director” align=”left” force_circle=”off”] Mentor programs throughout Long Beach and the country celebrate January as the National Mentoring Month with a variety of activities. With the campaign’s tagline, “Mentor in Real Life,” the goal of the month is to initiate a dialogue on the importance of mentoring and encourage involvement.
Nationally, a proclamation is issued by President Obama, while locally, Mayor Robert Garcia will proclaim January as National Mentoring Month at the city council meeting on Jan. 24 to thank the hundreds of mentors in Long Beach.
The Long Beach Mentor Connection also is using websites and media outlets to get the word out about the need for mentors.
With a number of different mentoring programs here in Long Beach, there is place for everyone who wants to give back. No special skills are required, and the time it takes is no more than what you spend watching your favorite TV show each week.
Research shows students with mentors are more likely to stay in school, be enrolled in college and participate in extracurricular activities. Mentors empower youth to make smart choices that put them on a path to improved opportunities and connections, which have an impact in real life. They build on young people’s strength, expand their potential and help them achieve success. Yet despite these benefits, a gap between the number of mentors and the number of young people who need a mentor continues.
To find out more about mentoring, call (562) 386-2428, email info@power4youth.org or visit nationalmentoringmonth.org.