The Broken Bow TeamMates chapter will host its kickoff event this week at North Park Elementary during the school’s open house. Students and parents will have an opportunity to learn about the mentoring program, ask questions, and even sign up on the spot Wednesday from 5 PM to 7 PM.
Broken Bow Chapter Coordinator Mathia Schumaker-Calvert explained that while the event is mostly for students, both students and adults will be able to begin the process of getting involved in the program.
“Anytime the students show an interest in the program, they can sign up right there on the spot. Parents can ask questions. Students can ask questions. We can even get kind of an idea from the students of who they might want as a mentor. And then I can reach out to that individual. That’s not saying that adults aren’t also welcome. Adults can come into the school if they want to be a mentor and we could, again, start them going through that sign up process to be a mentor. But yeah, absolutely. It’s a great way to kick off. It’s a great way for students and adults alike to see what the program is about and just a way to get our faces out into the community as well,” said Mathia.
The TeamMates program, founded by Tom and Nancy Osborne, is designed to provide students with support through one-on-one mentoring relationships. The program emphasizes consistency, encouragement, and building positive connections.
“And that’s not to say it’s awkward at first because I mean, any new relationship is going to have that moment where you’re like, I don’t know what to say to this person,” Mathia said. “But it’s really, we’re asking for 20 minutes to half an hour. You come in, you see your mentor, you maybe eat breakfast with them or you eat lunch with them and get an update about how their life is going. And I mean, show them that you care. It’s really honestly just the showing up that matters because that consistency and reliability is what a lot of these kids need.”
TeamMates of Broken Bow hopes the kickoff event will connect more students with mentors and raise awareness in the community about the program’s impact.
