Travis County Commssioners Court
January 21, 2003
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Item 2
2. Approve proclamation recognizing the month of January 2003 as "national mentoring month" in Travis County. Should I read your proclamation for you?
>> please.
>> it reads whereas January 2003 is national mentoring month, whereas students with mentors are 75% less likely to drop out of school, whereas schools with mentoring programs report 76% increase in student attendance rates, 84% increase in student's passing rates, passing classes, 60% increase in suspensions from decline -- that was on the increase role there -- roll there, decline this suspension -- in suspensions from schools. Whereas students with mentors are 46% less likely to start using drugs, 27% less likely to start using alcohol, and 33% less likely to hit someone. And whereas one hour orientation sessions have been scheduled for January 23rd, February 20th, March 20th, April 17th, 2003, each session will be conducted at the gardner-betts juvenile justice center training room, located at 2515 south congress from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m., That's to give working people an opportunity to come out during lunch and participate.
>> uh-huh.
>> now therefore be it resolved that we the members of the Travis County commissioners court do here hereby proclaim the month of January as men inventorying -- mentoring month in Travis County, to participate as mentors. Be it also resolved that we encourage Travis County department head and supervisors to allow a work schedule flexibility to enable employers, employees to participate in this worthy opportunity and that's flexibility as long as you get your full day in. Right?
>> that's correct.
>> and witness whereof we have hereunto set our hand, I move approval.
>> second.
>> we do appreciate the proclamation.
>> good morning.
>> omen toring -- on mentoring month. I have with me robert mendoza the mentoring coordinator for aisd, sheryl rockland assisting us in recruiting mentors from the health and human services department. I would like to give each of them an opportunity to say a couple of words about mentoring, I will make it quick, make some concluding remarks.
>> I would just like to thank the commissioners court for the proclamation and also thank you for allowing leroy one hour of his 80 hour a day schedule to mentor allen. He's doing a great job, already recruited approximately 14, making a major difference in a lot of the kids there. Working with the little kids, first and kindergarten kids, but he's making a major, major difference at the schools. Thank you.
>> well, this is my first mentoring and I am mentoring two seniors at Austin high school. It is a wonderful opportunity, i've enjoyed it very much so far being that I'm a college student myself. I wish that I had a mentor when I was in high school. I think it's going to make a big difference in their lives.
>> just like to say that -- that it is one hour a week and it's going over and having lunch with some of these children and they look forward, it's the high point of their week. And you not only influence the one child that you are assigned as a mentee, you influence the entire class. And I cannot believe that one hour a week makes the type of performance measures that the judge read in the proclamation, but it does. The two kindergarten students that I mentored last year were both under grade level in reading, they both were in the office on disolympianary problems, most of their day. They ended up after we started the mentoring program, they both ended up in there a couple of times. They are both this year on the grade level. It does make a difference. The lower grades employ mentor on a flexible schedule. I normally go at lunch, you can call and cancel, just notify them if you can't be there, so the schedule is not that important in the lower grade, you can go any time during the week. So I do encourage people to try it. We have the orientation session set up at gardner-betts, takes an hour during lunch, and then we go through a criminal background check on all -- all employees that want to volunteer. I encourage you to volunteer.
>> we do, too.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Thank you all very much.
>> thank you all.
>> you can carry this beautiful proclamation with you. [ laughter ]
>> okay. [ laughter ] taking these is mandatory once you ask for it. [ laughter ]
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM