Itโs National Mentor Month and Nancy Stovall believes Tucson harbors a treasure trove of great mentors.
โI think Tucson is full of potentially amazing mentors ... and I think they could be the answer to a lot of crises going on with kids,โ said Stovall, 70, who became a mentor to a foster child a year ago through Mentoring Tucsonโs Kids.
The faith-based program is one of two mentoring programs operated through Gap Ministries. One On One Mentoring is the nonprofitโs community-based program. Both programs provide mentoring for children ages 5 through 17 who have been referred by Arizona Department of Child Safety caseworkers, school counselors, teachers, behavioral health agencies or parents. The programs serve about 60 at-risk children; mentors are asked to give a commitment of three hours weekly for at least one year.
Many people are unaware of the need for mentors in the community and may not realize mentors are fulfilling a vital role, said Mary McGuire, executive director for Mentoring Tucsonโs Kids.
She cited statistics from the Pima County Attorneyโs Office and the 2007 Arizona Governorโs Report that indicate a range of benefits: Arizona youths experiment with their first illegal substance at an average age of about 13 years and youths with mentors are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal substances. Additionally, more than 20,000 youths in Pima County have one or both parents incarcerated; without intervention, 70 percent of these children will follow their parents into prison. Mentors can also impact the 25 percent of children in Pima County who come from single-parent households.
McGuire said research has shown that students who meet regularly with mentors are 52 percent less likely to skip school and more likely to enroll in college. Children who are mentored are also 78 percent more likely to volunteer regularly and 90 percent of mentees are interested in becoming mentors.
โThere is such a great need and so many wonderful benefits, not only for the youth being mentored, but also for the mentors. People think it is all about kids being mentored, but it really positively impacts adults as well. Itโs definitely a lot of fun for all involved,โ said McGuire.
Stovall said she and her 14-year-old mentee enjoy simple activities, from movies and dining out to grocery shopping, cooking and just hanging out.
They also participate in monthly group mentoring activities organized through Mentoring Tucsonโs Kids; recent outings included a trip to a University of Arizona hockey game in which the children and their mentors met the team.
