Y.E.S. seeking donations, mentors

With a mission to help guide Red Oak youth into successful adults, Red Oak Community School’s Y.E.S. mentoring program is one of the many mentoring programs across the United States celebrating National Mentoring Month.

Peggy Craig, Youth Experiencing Success program coordinator, explained mentoring is about building a trusting relationship, support and guidance between youth kindergarten through eighth grade and members of the community.

“The YES Mentoring program has been actively mentoring in Red Oak since 2007.  It is a nonprofit organization managed by a community advisory board made up of business members, service organization members and school employees,” said Craig.

Over the past 11 years, Craig said, program numbers have increased and decreased among mentors and mentees. She added when she became coordinator in 2010, there were five active matches.

“We currently have 27 matches and three students on the waiting list. I believe this is the largest group we have ever had,” Craig said.

Children in the program are referred by parents, guidance counselors or parents who may benefit from extra time with a caring adult. A parent or guardian must complete a form for the child to participate. Potential mentors are carefully screened and must complete a training program before matching takes place. Depending on the circumstances, it may take up to six months for a match to take place. Once matched, partners are to meet once a week for one year. Following that year, the matches can continue their partnership or request a new mentor.

“Some matches have been going for at least seven years or more. I try to recommend that if possible, the mentor set aside one day of the week they can meet on a regular basis. This way the student has some consistency and it is always something they look forward to,” Craig explained. “Some of our matches perhaps can’t meet every week so they may do a couple times a month and spend a few hours together at that time. We also try to do at least several group outings during the school year.”

Craig said the program is always in need of mentors, especially males. She added more students would be referred if there were mentors.

As a non-profit organization, Craig said they rely on fundraisers and donations to keep the program alive and currently, they are running dangerously low on funds.

“It’d be a shame for the program to cease because of no funds,” said Craig. “Who couldn’t use another friend?”

To donate or request mentoring paperwork, contact Craig at Inman Primary, 623-6635, or email craigp@roschools.org.