UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA Athletics Director Tom Osborne speaks to an audience at Kearney’s Hilltop Mall Friday. Osborne talked to Nebraska fans about the TeamMates Mentoring Program founded by him and his wife, Nancy. Rick Tucker, Kearney Hub
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The need for youth mentors brought Nebraska Athletics Director Tom Osborne to Kearney Friday afternoon.
Speaking at a Tailgate for TeamMates at Hilltop Mall, Osborne made a plea for volunteers to assist in the TeamMates Mentoring Program founded by him and his wife, Nancy.
The program currently mentors 4,300 youths in 16 communities in Iowa and Nebraska, “and we’re shooting for 5,000,” he said.
But the program has one-third more youngsters who would like a mentor than there are available mentors.
“And I know that’s the case in Kearney,” Osborne said.
Kearney has approximately 100 mentors participating in the program, and Osborne was scheduled to speak later Friday at a similar gathering for the program in Hershey, a town with the population of 600 that also has about 100 mentors.
“That’s the kind of commitment they’ve made to young people,” he said.
Being a mentor requires about one hour per week meeting with the youth, and all that is required is someone who cares, somebody who affirms and someone who provides a vision.
Each school has a coordinator who matches mentors with the students and the TeamMates program provides the training.
Osborne said students in the program have experienced a lower dropout rate, higher grades and fewer disciplinary problems.
“Eighty-five percent of our young people show improvement in attendance … and if in-school attendance is getting better, everything is getting better,” Osborne said.
