Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, my amendment to H.R. 5 is simple. It will provide students with the necessary resources to remain in school and graduate. I have witnessed young people who are mentored through quality in- school mentoring programs make positive choices, discover personal strength, and achieve their potential both inside and outside of the classroom. According to the National Mentoring Partnership, youth who have a meaningful relationship with an adult are five times more likely to graduate. Studies also show that these youth are 46 percent less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to start drinking, 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school, and 37 percent less likely to skip a class. Young people who were at risk for not completing high school but who had a mentor were 55 percent more likely to be enrolled in college, 81 percent more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities, more than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team, and 78 percent more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities. Simply put, mentoring is a proven cost-effective investment. In fact, for every $1 invested in mentoring, there is a $3 return to society. That is why it is important that we encourage States to establish and support effective dropout prevention and reentry programs that will provide necessary assistance to ensure that all of our children graduate.…”