Fox Creek mentoring program to help at risk youth
The School Improvement Council for Fox Creek High School has announced plans to partner with the school in launching a mentoring program aimed at helping struggling teens succeed in school. An overview will be shared at the inaugural meeting on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Fox Creek commons area.
The first year of the program's existence will focus on students struggling academically, with hopes to expand to include teens struggling with socialization issues.
The program will be overseen by a committee consisting of a parent and SIC representative, Susie Stewart, a health care professional, Al Jones of Jones Behavioral Clinic, a local attorney, L. E. Maioriello, and two on-site program coordinators and teachers, Bill Warnken and Vickie Leonard.
FCHS' mentoring program will include tutors and school-to-career counseling, as well as seminars on life skills offered by Life Management Group. "We are very excited about the support we've gotten from our professional communit," said Stewart recently. "We have been fortunate to have a health care professional and an attorney commit to serve on our oversight committee who've put in countless hours preparing already. Dr. John Hill of the Center for Care & Counseling for the CSRA has agreed to conduct separate orientations for the mentors and mentees, individually."
Through the program, volunteer adult mentors will meet with teens for a minimum of one hour each week. The meetings will alternate between school sites and community locations, and will offer meaningful educational, recreational, and developmental opportunities. The program will not only build students' self-esteem and trust, but also connect them to a broader world and to other services that can change their lives and give them the skills to succeed.
The students eligible to participate in the program will be determined by teacher referrals, counselors, parents and demonstrated need. Adults interested in volunteering as mentors may contact Warnken in care of the school and should be prepared to undergo a background check as required by law.
"We will officially kick-off the program at our Jan. 12 meeting," said Stewart, "where we are inviting everyone in the community who is interested to join us for a program overview. Background checks and interviews should be completed by mid-January, with mentee participants identified in time for a match-up-meeting by the end of January." Volunteer mentors may come from local businesses, religious institutions, colleges, retirement centers, and civic organizations. If you would like to be part of a program with a positive outcome, please consider partnering with Fox Creek High School's Mentor Program.
For more information, e-mail Susie Stewart, SIC Chair, at sstewart@fchs.edgefield.k12.sc.us or
Bill Warnken, (803) 613-9435 or bwarnken@fchs.edgefield.k12.sc.us.
