Call To Service: Mentor a Child

Today, we proclaimed January mentoring month in Hamilton County--the timing of which was perfect following our new President's inspiring call for citizen service yesterday.

While there are many ways to give back, one of the most effective ways to make a difference is to be a mentor. Bottom line: a mentor's devotion and commitment for one hour a week will forever change a child's life, as well as the mentor's. And the statistics support the difference it makes--in so many categories, whether it is showing up to school, advancing to the next grade, graduating from high school, applying to college, those children with an adult mentor fare better.

Right now, there are many young people in our schools who have signed up to request a mentor, and badly want one. But they sit on a long waiting list because there are not enough adults.

If you're interested in learning more, go to one of the many organizations that pair mentors with our young people: the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and others.