"Be A Mentor" Chance to Help CCSD Students

One adult can make a difference in a student's life.

That's the idea behind Be A Mentor, a nonprofit that has made a difference to local students for almost a decade. Now it hopes to recruit another 125 volunteers for the next school year. While its elementary programs extend into Summerville, most of its 250 volunteers meet with students in the Charleston County School District and mentor through high school. 

Rather than identifying "students at risk," this nonprofit names them "youth on the brink of success." Volunteers meet weekly with these students for one hour.

"The group is also trying to figure out what’s working. It’s working with the College of Charleston to survey mentors and students to hone its training, and it’s angling to bring their families into the fold — to make mentoring about more than an hour a week."

"The group is recruiting prospective mentors through early June. Volunteers have to be at least 21, pass a background check and participate in training."

More information and registration can be found at www.beamentornow.org/volunteer.html