TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - January is a month for us to celebrate the positive effects that mentoring has on young lives.
"National Mentoring Month" was started in 2002 by the Harvard School of Public Health and the National Mentoring Partnership.
Nationally, this campaign wants to encourage people to become mentors and raise awareness of the various way mentoring can be achieved.
On a local level, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend has encouraged the local community members to get involved with the youth.
All it takes to be a big brother or big sister is one hour out of the week to be there for the youth.
For the youth involved, this is a very rewarding program in which they gain a mentor, a friend, and a positive impact in their lives.
"What a great story is is when you hear the kids talk about it. We went into the schools over the holidays and took some presents to, we call them littles. We go in and the come and they wrap themselves around your leg," said Alva Striplin, the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend. "They're like, 'When's my mentor coming,' to my staff. They were so excited. 'When's my mentor coming? When's my mentor coming?' You can tell what it means in their life. it's making a difference in their life."
If you would like to participate in national mentoring month and make a difference in a child's life, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend is always looking for more mentors, especially big brothers.
