Houston, Tx – As we all know, January was National Mentoring Month, and this year My Brother’s Keep mentoring program “Each One of Us” celebrated the annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults by Partnering with local businesses and organizations who would share in our vision to support the youth.
 
“The goal is to establish a village mentality because it truly takes all of us striving together to serve the youth.” Steven Benson

It is in this spirit that we are proud to announce 7THBATT.org’s sponsorship of My Brother's Keeper Mentor Program in Houston’s Jack Yates High School and are so grateful for this organization because they will be helping to remove financial barriers and be the catalyst for change!
 
With their patronage, we will now be able to fund:
 
a. Monthly student team dinners to continue enhancing mentor/mentee relationships in a positive and safe environment. b. Student program t-shirts and backpack, so they have a sense of belonging and community. c. Senior SAT/ACT testing fees to help them prepare for college.
 
Research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid risky behavior like drug use. In turn, these young people are:
– 55% more likely to be enrolled in college.
– 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities.
– 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities.
– More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team.
Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor. Today, in our community there are thousands of kids who could benefit from having a mentor.
 
National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life. Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real-life decisions.
National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with support from the Highland Street Foundation. Each year since its launch in 2002, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President and the United States Congress. Other prominent individuals who have participated in the campaign include Maya Angelou, former President Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, Cal Ripken Jr., Bill Russell and Usher.
 
To learn more about the role mentoring plays in our community and to find volunteer opportunities visit My Brother's Keeper. To learn more about 7TH BATT’s vision of “A World With No Barriers To Success” visit 7THBATT.org