TeamMates Mentoring, a school-based mentoring program, is expanding to serve the Huron School District.
Next week, Huron School District will launch TeamMates Mentoring, joining several other school districts in South Dakota.
“Educators are seeing the very real value TeamMates brings to a school district and the positive impact it has in communities,” said Jess Karim, State Director, TeamMates of South Dakota. “The program has proven to improve school attendance and grades and increases hope for those who participate.”
The mentoring program which matches a student with a community member for weekly meetings during the school year, already has seven chapters spread throughout South Dakota. The Belle Fourche, Custer-Hermosa, Lead-Deadwood, Pierre- Ft Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, and Spearfish school districts have active chapters.
Karim said Heather DeBoer, a principal in the Huron School District, was introduced to the program before moving to Huron and presented it to the community there.
“This is an extra boost we can provide to our students,” said DeBoer. “It is something the kids really look forward to; it brightens their day, and it improves student outcomes.”
Karim says TeamMates is looking for caring adult volunteers in Huron to be matched with their students.
“We work really hard to make sure our mentors and our mentees are a good match, have something in common,” said Karim. “So, we really do like to have a pool of mentors to allow us to find the right combination of student and adult.”
Students who are interested in having a mentor should contact the school office. Adults who are interested in being a mentor should visit TeamMates.org for local contact information. Potential mentors are invited to attend training on Tuesday, September 30, 5:30-6:30pm at the Huron High School Commons. For anyone interested in serving on the local board, there will be a board orientation at 6:30pm following the mentor training.
About TeamMates
TeamMates is dedicated to inspiring students to reach their full potential through mentoring. Since being founded in 1991 by Coach Tom Osborne and Nancy Osborne, TeamMates has been instrumental in impacting the lives of youth throughout the Midwest, serving more than 49,000 students to date. For more information, visit teammates.org.
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