Spotlight on Mentors

About Mentoring  Become a Mentor  Schedule of Events  Sponsors  Donations  Spotlight on Mentors  Contact Us  FAQ

Mentor:  Steve

This is Steve’s first year mentoring.  He mentors at Orrs Elementary School.

“Spending time with my mentee, creating games to play inside since it’s too COLD for the playground.  We enjoy putting puzzles together.  Usually, however, you will find us outside, throwing the football or frisbee.  We like to stay active.”

Mentor:  Linda

“It is difficult for me to believe I have been mentoring the same amazing student for 6.5 years!  Working with my mentee is a joy because she wants to excel.  She is an accomplished student and athlete.  Having an opportunity to be her mentor, especially now that she is in high school, is an honor.  I highly recommend mentoring to anyone looking to make a positive difference in the life of a young person.  It is more rewarding for me than I ever imagined.”

Mentor:  Windy

“I began mentoring at Atkinson Elementary in 2018.  I mentored 2 students simultaneously, from 3rd to 5th grade, but then covid hit and the mentoring halted.  So I started again with a new mentee this January.  I find mentoring very rewarding and have seen positive outcomes.  I have witnessed growth in my mentees; including maturationally [sic], socially and in developing a greater confidence to achieve goals.”

“I have fun with my mentees and learn plenty from them as well.”

Mentor:  Becky

“This is my first year mentoring.  I learned about becoming a mentor through my church, City Church.  I am enjoying mentoring my sweet student so much!  There are so many kids that need consistency in their lives.  They need to know someone cares and will be there for them.  I highly recommend becoming a mentor!  I mentor one day a week.  This has become my most favorite day of the week!  Seeing her smiling face makes my day every time!”

Mentor:  Taylor

I have been mentoring for one year.  First time ever joining the program.  I decided to join this mentor program to step out of my comfort zone.  Also, to encourage and maybe be an influence for someone else.

I think my best day of mentoring is everyday.  Seeing my mentee and asking when I am arriving for a session makes me feel good.  I feel I am making a positive impact on their life.

I think the traits and qualities my mentee should always have is staying positive.  Really smart kid as it is, the way they speak, the way they want to learn experiences I’ve had in the past.  Just in general a good overall kid.

I think others should get into the mentor program because it’s a good life-changing experience.  You not only learn about the mentee, but you learn something from them.  Having a positive impact on someone else is a way of giving back.  I enjoy it.

Mentor:  Tyrone

Mr. Tyrone mentors five young scholars at Atkinson Elementary (one mentee is not in the picture).  This is his first year mentoring and he visits at least once a week to mentor these young boys.

“We had a great session today like always and I will continue to talk and educate our young boys because it’s badly needed in this community.  I really enjoy what I do because it’s about making a change for our kids so that they can have a better life going forward.”

Mentor:  David

My mentee and I have been meeting 1 hour per week during the school year since he was in the 4th grade at Moore Elementary.  This year he’s a sophomore at AZ Kelsey.  Next Monday (1/13/25) we’re attending the GRCCA orientation with high hopes that he can now begin his route to a successful career.  I highly recommend mentoring a child in the Spalding County schools.  It’s an amazing experience and a mentor’s influence can make a world of difference in a child’s life.

JUST DO IT!

 

 

 

Mentor:  Erin

My scholar and I were paired in September 2022 when she started 6th grade at Kennedy Road Middle School.  She is now in the 8th grade and preparing to enter high school next year!  Our weekly meetings at school, over the years, have morphed into spending more time out of school than in, showing her how to engage in the community while promoting self-esteem and confidence.  She has become a familiar face around the fire department and even attended our Public Safety Academy, our week long summer Fire Camp, and assisted at community events representing the fire department’s nonprofit Helpful Heroes.

I am proud of the young lady she is and look forward to seeing her grow even more!

Mentor:  Dr. Anderson

Dr. Anderson and one of her two mentees celebrate a certificate of accomplishment and participation.  “My scholar also helped to create a balloon arc during African American History month.”  Dr. Anderson and her scholar are in the third year of their mentor/mentee relationship.

I have always followed the saying “Each one, reach one” ever since I first heard it decades ago.  I truly believe everyone is endowed with God-given strengths, abilities, and skills, and I feel it’s a blessing to be able to share them, especially with our youth.

I have found participating in the Mentoring Program to be a wonderful experience for me.  I look forward to the weekly meetings with my (2) mentees, and hearing the updates of their family and school life.  I always say a prayer before my sessions, asking God to guide my responses and that my words are always those of encouragement and support.

To those of you reading this who might be considering becoming a mentor, I strongly encourage you to, “Make it happen and make a positive difference in the life of a child.”

Mentor:  Glenn

“The importance of mentoring is the ultimate gift of being able to be there and care for others.  We all have had that in our life to get to where we are and this is the opportunity to share that with others that come behind us in the very hope that this is paid forward for others…”

Mentor:  Tracie

Enjoying time with my mentee, putting on a fashion show with dolls, practicing reading, and laughing over a game of winter bingo.

This is my first year mentoring, and I love the one-on-one interaction with my 2nd grader.  The best times are when she first sees me in the morning and has a big smile, and asks excitedly about what we will be doing that day.  I encourage other adults to take a spare hour every week or two and become active in a child’s life, being a listening ear and a consistent presence.

Mentor:  Z. Piercy

 

I have been mentoring students in the GSCS system since the fall of 2022.  My current mentee started with me as a 2nd grader at Cowan Road in the fall of 2023.  We are now in our second year at Orr Elementary School.  I decided to mentor because I always wanted to “give something back.”  While mentoring wasn’t a norm when I was in elementary school, I had great teachers who served in that capacity outside of normal school hours.  These teachers were pillars in the community because they lived within the districts where they taught.  After returning to the area after 40+ years away, I knew that mentoring provided me with the opportunity to “pay it forward.”

I just experienced my most memorable experience with my current mentee.  After the holiday break, I had a couple of funeral ceremonies to attend and was not able to mentor until January 14th.  When I walked into his classroom, he bounded from his desk to give me a hug and expressed how much he had missed me.  That’s when you know you are making progress!

Mentor:  R. Piercy

I started mentoring September 16, 2024.  My mentees are a 1st grader and her cousin who is a 5th grader.  After hearing my husband speak about his rewarding mentoring experiences and attending a couple of the mentor-mentee end-of-year programs, I was truly inspired to become a mentor myself.  I figured that being bilingual (English-Spanish), I may be able to connect with scholars who are also bilingual and help them be successful and help them discover their own potential.  My best day mentoring is when my mentees “grasp a given challenge” and witness their own potential with wide-eyed excitement.  This is rewarding gratification and growth on both our parts.