Article posted on the Holdredge Public Schools Webage.
TeamMates of Holdrege was the recipient of the 2009-10 Outstanding TeamMates Program Award for the Western Region at the TeamMates Partnership Meeting in Lincoln on July 27th.
The following tribute was announced (The tribute was on the large framed plaque that Mary Schneider is holding). The Holdrege program has been strong and steady since day one of existence. With a board that is passionate, teamed up with coordinators that are committed, and school and community that is supportive, this program has had the ingredients for success from the beginning! Holdrege TeamMates has done a fabulous job developing a "culture of mentoring" in their community. The board and coordinators work hard providing extra activities and events to give matches the opportunity to spend more time together, which is part of the reason why their matches are strong and of good quality. The other part is the care given to make good matches based on interests. Thank you Holdrege, you are a program to look up to!
Jean Berreckman and Mary Schneider were very excited to receive this award. "It is worth every minute of time that we have put in the program. We currently have 53 student mentees matched up with 53 adult mentors in grades sixth through eighth. We are in need of more adults to volunteer to be mentors to our new group of fifth grade students here at Holdrege Middle School", said Jean Berreckman (co-oordinator of the TeamMates program). "We have a very supportive administration and TeamMates Advisory board that has been instrumental in getting us started," said Mary Schneider (co-oordinator of TeamMates program).
A TeamMates Mentor is someone who provides a young person with support, friendship, and a positive example. TeamMates asks that you make a commitment of meeting with your student mentee for one hour a week in a school setting for a minimum of one year. When you meet with your mentor you may have lunch, talk, you may pick an activity to do such as a board game, go in the gym shoot baskets, make a craft put together a puzzle or a model car or cook etc. What is involved in getting started, three easy steps: #1 Apply - Complete the mentor application #2 Train - Take training to prepare you for the experience #3 Match - Meet your mentee.
***There is an up-coming information/training night on Monday, August 30th from 5:30-6:30 P.M. in the Holdrege Middle School Media Center. You are invited to come find out what the TeamMates Mentoring Program is all about. Mentors are needed for our new fifth grade class!
Bring a friend, or relative - COME JOIN THE TEAM! Call Mary or Jean at995-5421 if you have questions.
Jean Berreckman and Mary Schneider Co-oordinators of the Holdredge TeamMates Mentoring Program
