On the recordJanuary 26, 2010
As co-chair of the Congressional Mentoring Caucus, I rise today in strong support for designating January 2010 as National Mentoring Month. We all have an important role to play in the lives of young people around us. Our entire community needs to be part of the process in shaping young lives to become responsible citizens. When caring adults make connections and provide guidance to our youth, it makes a positive impact on their lives. A local newspaper in Minnesota recently ran an article about the enormous difference mentoring makes in someone's life. All of us have experienced that personally. For far too many young people and children, they just might not have a strong adult presence in their lives. Mentors encourage the development of strong characters and healthy identities. That's a fact. We have the data to back that up.
