Wilcox is piloting a volunteer mentoring program for a select group of students who need a little extra guidance getting through high school. The program is looking for volunteers: parents, grandparents, neighbors, community members and anyone who would like to help a student by providing a positive adult presence. A mentor will be matched to a student based on similar career or social interests, hobbies and/or experiences.
This year, community mentors are asked to:
- Commit to the program until June 2015.
- Complete and submit volunteer forms.
- Meet with the student on the Wilcox campus (at a time convenient for both) once a week.
- Check in with student 1-3 times per week by phone/text.
- Attend training sessions: one this semester (Dec. 17, 7 p.m.) and two next semester.
Principal Bonnie Billings ran this type of program successfully (winning national awards) at a previous school, and feels that such an effort can make a huge impact at Wilcox. “At this very moment, we have 13 kids who are ready to work with a mentor but we don’t have enough of them,” she said in a news release. “Please help us by volunteering as a mentor or spreading the word of this rewarding project to other members of our Santa Clara community.”
For more information, to sign up and/or RSVP for the training/info meeting on Dec. 17, email Lillian Kwiatkowski: lgkwiat@gmail.com.