By Mark Obermeier
Published: Saturday, August 21, 2010 4:10 AM CDT
North Platte Telegraph
HERSHEY - How many lives have been affected by the Teammates Mentoring Program? How many students have stayed in school, graduated and gone on to college?
Dr. Tom Osborne stopped by Hershey Friday night to shed a little light on the mentoring program's success and to thank the patrons of Hershey for all that they do in helping young individuals.
Tom and Nancy Osborne could not have imagined the program's success that was developed 19 years ago after watching a television show one evening.
"We were watching a television program one evening that told about an individual that was trying to help troubled youth," Osborne said. "The gentleman told the kids that if they would just stay in school and graduate, he would pay for their college education."
After the TV program, Osborne said he asked Nancy if there was something they could do for the Lincoln community. When they put their heads together, the TeamMates Mentoring Program was born.
Osborne approached the Nebraska football team to see if there was any interest in working with the youth of Lincoln. Twenty-two athletes volunteered to help seventh and eighth grade students in the cities junior highs.
"I knew that Nancy and I couldn't afford to send all the students to college," said Osborne. "But I told them if they graduated, we would find a way.
"By the time they graduated, the money was there with a lot of help. All 22 graduated and 18 of those went to college."
From those first 22 students and mentors, the program now has grown to 4,300 members in 116 communities. Most of the programs are in Nebraska but eight are in western Iowa and Osborne has traveled to San Diego to help start a program there.
Osborne had nothing but praise for the Hershey mentor/mentee program.
"Hershey is the poster child for the mentoring program," said Osborne. "They have shown a tremendous amount of interest in helping youth. I want to thank Hershey for wanting to take care of their young people."
Osborne went on to talk about the benefits that he sees in the mentoring program.
"It helps keep kids out of trouble," Osborne said. "Not that all of them would [get in trouble], but it keeps them on the right path."
Osborne said that there are about 75 percent less problems once a student enters the program and about half of the students get better grades. He also stated how the program was well worth the cost.
"It costs about $460 a year per student," he said. "It is cost effective and a tremendous return in our investment."
Osborne said there are actually more kids that want mentored than we have mentors. So there is still a need for more volunteers.
"It is all about building relationships," he said. "It is a one-on-one relationship that hopefully continues through graduation."
Osborne said there are three things that every mentor should do: (1) They should care unconditionally and want the best for their mentee; (2) They need to provide affirmation and really believe in the mentee; (3) They need to provide a vision
Osborne went on to say the mentors want to provide a vision for the kids in identifying their strengths and reinforcing them.
"Successful people don't worry about what they can't do," said Osborne. "If just one person can find help, he can help others. It is the ripple affect, it can last forever."
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