National Mentoring Month Proclamation

WHEREAS, mentors help teach important skills that are necessary for a healthy, successful life and help shape the character of our young people. They instill compassion and responsibility in our children and help motivate them to do their best in school. By providing leadership and guidance, mentors can inspire young people to set high goals and help them achieve a bright future; and

WHEREAS, during National Mentoring Month we recognize the dedicated individuals who volunteer their time to mentor young people, and we encourage more citizens to give back to their communities as mentors; and

WHEREAS, mentors are friends, teachers, coaches and role models who open doors of opportunity, convey values and help provide stability and encouragement that young people need to succeed; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that mentoring measurably affects young people by improving social skills, strengthening academic competence, increasing school attendance, improving rates of secondary school graduation and college attendance, decreasing involvement with drugs and alcohol, and decreasing violent behavior; and

WHEREAS, mentoring is a proven, effective strategy of matching a caring, responsible adult with a child to provide guidance, stability, and direction to the child and to build the child’s confidence; and

WHEREAS, the Caring Adult Task Force has facilitated a collaborative effort to provide training to mentors in our community to increase their effectiveness; and

WHEREAS, the establishment of National Mentoring Month emphasizes the importance of mentoring and recognizes with praise and gratitude the many individuals in our community and throughout the United States who are involved with mentoring; and

WHEREAS, many youth in the City of Lakewood are waiting for mentors.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Lakewood City Council proclaims January, 2013 as

NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

in the City of Lakewood and encourages Lakewood residents to honor the role models in our lives by becoming mentors in our community and thanking the mentors of our youth.

PROCLAIMED this 7th day of January, 2013.