Stephens Co. Schools Need Mentors

With the start of a new calendar year, the call is again going out for mentors in the Stephens County school system.

January marks the 15th annual National Mentoring Month and Family Connection of Stephens County is participating in a campaign to expand mentoring opportunities.

Nancy Ekback is the Mentor Coordinator for Stephens County and Family Connection.

She said that spending just a small amount of time with a child as a mentor can make a big difference.

“We spend an hour a week for the entire school year, one-on-one, one child with one mentor,” said Ekback.

Ekback said mentors are designed to just be someone who is there for the child to be a positive influence.

“We are just a listening ear,” said Ekback. “Focus on that one child. They do not have to be a disciplinarian. They do not have to be a tutor. They just have to listen.”

Right now, there are 73 trained mentors in Stephens County.

However, Ekback said that the school system has a waiting list of about 20 students from Pre-K all the way through high school.

She said that there is one group where mentors are specifically needed.

“Out of the 20, 16 are male,” said Ekback. “We need male mentors, especially at the middle school. That is our biggest need right now.”

Ekback said that studies show a strong mentor can have a positive impact on a child’s life for years following.

“What we find within our statistics is that so many of students who have a mentor participate in sports, they are more likely to graduate,” said Ekback.

Studies show that students with a mentor are also more likely to volunteer in their communities and move on to higher education.

For more information on becoming a mentor in the Stephens County school system, call Ekback at 706-898-5115.