Adults who want to make a difference in students’ lives now have an opportunity to do so.

Wylie ISD’s MENTOR program is seeking volunteers from now through the end of April. These people will spend half an hour each week with a WISD student.

“Mentors are essentially personal cheerleaders for our kids that provide encouragement and a listening ear when needed,” said Joley Martin, WISD Family Liaison. “The magic of the program is simply showing up when you say you’ll be there. That’s the key. The trust you build by doing that provides the foundation needed for improvement in a student’s confidence, self-esteem, and motivation for improvement – both academically and socially.”

The program currently has 222 mentors serving 278 students. Most adults are assigned to just one, but some have multiple.

Martin reported that a dozen children are still waiting on a mentor.

Program officials ask volunteers to commit to spending at least a year mentoring. Meetings occur during the school day at the student’s campus. A background check is required, as is a one-hour training after acceptance.

WISD reported that roughly 2,400 students are economically disadvantaged, around 100 receive homeless benefits each year, and 1 in 3 are at risk of not graduating.

“No need to know a lot about math or science,” Martin said. “It takes someone who has a heart for working with kids and wants to spend a little bit of their time each week making a major difference by simply having fun together. I can’t think of another opportunity that requires so little time and affords someone changes that last a lifetime.”

To sign up, contact her at [email protected] or 972-429-2996.

By Morgan Howard • [email protected]