January is National Mentoring Month and its a time to recognize the importance of developing positive influences for youth across the country.

Greene County ISU Extension sponsors a Kids With A Connection program that puts together volunteer adults with area youth who express an interest in having a positive role model in their lives.

Coordinator Mary Tighe says its a county-wide program that promotes positive choices, self-esteem, supports academic achievement and introduces youth to new ideas.

Any adult can join to be a mentor in the program simply by contacting the Extension office.  Any child who wants to be included can either call the Extension office or apply through the school districts.  Tighe points out that some of the preliminary criteria to match a mentor to a mentee is by interest, what gender and age group you would be willing to work with and whether or not the mentor could travel.

The program currently has ten people for both the mentees and mentors on a waiting list due to not finding an exact match from the criteria.

Tighe explains the importance of the Kids With A Connection program.

“We look at the youth in Greene County as a great asset for the county.  And since there’s so much development going on in the county that we really want to build on that asset of the youth.  So we kind of figure the future of Greene County depends on the success of our youth.”

She notes that mentoring is a proven cost-effective investment in that for every $1 invested in mentoring, there is a $3 return to society.

Anyone interested or who would like more information about Kids With A Connection can call 386-2138.