Tag: 1 Hour for Kids

January 6, 2010: The White House has released President Obama’s proclamation stating that January is officially National Mentoring Month in America. The proclamation, in part, reads: “Every day, mentors in communities across our Nation provide crucial support and guidance to young people. Whether a day is spent helping with homework, playing catch, or just listening, these moments can have an enormous, lasting effect on a child’s life. During National Mentoring Month, we recognize those who give generously of themselves by mentoring young Americans. “NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 2010 as National Mentoring Month. I call upon public officials, business and community leaders, educators, and Americans across the country to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.” To see the full Presidential Proclamation, go to www.nationalmentoringmonth.org To begin mentoring today, go to 1hourforkids.org

Today’s Statesman editorial says it all: “If you want to fix high school, start with middle school.” Middle school, says University of Texas researcher Ed Fuller, is the gatekeeper for student success in high school and college. Students who do poorly in middle school — particularly on the eighth-grade math portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills — are the ones most likely to fail ninth grade and eventually drop out. And low performers who do graduate from high school are less likely to be prepared for college work. So it all goes back to middle school. The Legislature and school superintendents should pay attention to this. Fortunately for Central Texas, 1 Hour For Kids and its partners are paying attention to this!

The goal of 1 Hour For Kids is to recruit 400 new volunteers to be mentors or tutors for Austin/Manor ISD middle school students. In this information session, you will learn how volunteering for just one hour a week to mentor or tutor a kid makes all the difference in the world! Wednesday, August 19, 20096:00PM – 7:00PM Wednesday, August 26, 20096:00PM – 7:00PM To learn more and sign up, go to the Hands On Central Texas website.

Thank you to everyone to came out for Kickball! It was a great day! We recruited over 30 mentors and showcased some serious athletic ability. Check out our photo set on Flickr: Were you there? Leave a note on our Facebook Wall. It’s not too late to become a mentor! Check out 1hourforkids.org for all the details.

1 Hour For Kids is a true collaborative, convened and led by United Way Capital Area and supported by the Austin Independent School District, the Manor Independent School District, the E3 Alliance and the Austin Chamber of Commerce. For the first time ever, United Way will collect objective results that are measured consistently across programs, and aligned with the regional strategic plan known as The Blueprint for Educational Change.™ It’s no secret that we accomplish more by working together. Won’t you join us?