Submitted by North Thurston Public Schools
January is National Mentoring Month, a time to recognize the many dedicated individuals who help empower youth by building caring and trusting relationships. Because research shows students with mentors have an increased sense of belonging and improved school engagement, North Thurston Public Schools provides a variety of mentoring opportunities, including:
- Lunch Buddies (K-8): One-on-one adult and student matches meet one hour per week at the school to play games and do craft activities, talk, work on goal setting, and sometimes go out to recess.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Peer Mentors: Middle and high school student matches meet one hour per week at the middle schools.
- Reach 360: Community-based mentor program at Chinook Middle School is designed to encourage personal growth and leadership in young men.
- Lunch Brigades: Through our military partnership with Joint Base Lewis-McChord, soldiers visit the same school on a regular basis during recess to play games and model positive behavior.
“Having a caring adult show up on a weekly basis can truly impact a young person for life,” said NTPS Mentor Program Liaison Courtney Schrieve. “Mentoring matters in student success and well-being.”
Learn more about NTPS mentoring opportunities on the North Thurston Public School website.
