[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 25 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 25

       Designating January 2003 as ``National Mentoring Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 23, 2003

  Mr. Kennedy (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. 
  Brownback, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Specter, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
  Cochran, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Allen, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. 
Akaka, Mr. Dodd, and Ms. Landrieu) submitted the following resolution; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
       Designating January 2003 as ``National Mentoring Month''.

Whereas mentors serve as role models, advocates, friends, and advisors to youth 
        in need;
Whereas numerous studies and research document that mentors help youth augment 
        social skills and emotional well-being, improve cognitive skills, and 
        plan for the future;
Whereas, for some youth, having a caring adult mentor to turn to for guidance 
        and encouragement can make the crucial difference between success and 
        failure in life;
Whereas 17,600,000 youth, nearly half the youth population, want or need mentors 
        to help them reach their full potential;
Whereas there exists a large ``mentoring gap'' of unmet needs, as evidenced by 
        the fact that just 2,500,000 youth are in formal mentoring 
        relationships, leaving 15,000,000 youth still in need of mentors;
Whereas the celebration of National Mentoring Month will institutionalize the 
        Nation's commitment to mentoring and raise awareness of mentoring in 
        various forms;
Whereas a month-long focus on mentoring will tap into the vast pool of potential 
        mentors and motivate adults to take action to help a youth;
Whereas National Mentoring Month will encourage organizations of all kinds--
        businesses, faith communities, government agencies, schools, and other 
        organizations--to engage their constituents in mentoring; and
Whereas the celebration of that month would above all encourage more people to 
        volunteer as mentors, to the benefit of the Nation's youth: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates the month of January 2003 as ``National 
        Mentoring Month''; and
            (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling upon the people of the United States and interested 
        groups to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and 
        activities that promote awareness of and volunteer involvement 
        with youth mentoring.
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