(Left) Mentee Lily Gates, then a sixth-grader at WCS, and her mentor Angie Thibault show off crafts they created together. (Right) Rotarian Chris Stewart enjoys a book with his mentee of several years ago.
One of the Williston-Richmond Rotary's longest standing causes has been supporting Williston Central School's Connecting Youth Mentoring program that pairs adult volunteer mentors with children who will benefit from a supportive relationship with an adult who is not a teacher, parent or guardian. Each year we purchase books for the program's library that fit a theme designated by the program's leadership. We also provide funds so that each student mentee can select books of their own to keep. In the past, our club has also supported an annual celebration that includes mentors, mentees and their families. In recent years, we've purchased tickets for mentees to enjoy a Lake Monster's baseball game.
Mentoring has proven to have measurable benefits to students across academic, social/emotional and family dynamics. And mentors benefit, too, reporting the value of the friendships and perspectives they gain through sharing time with their mentees. Many of our club members have and continue to serve as mentors in the program.
To read more about Connecting Youth Mentoring and learn about volunteering, visit: