[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 23, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H417-H420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 908) supporting the 
goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 908

       Whereas youth mentoring establishes a structured and 
     trusting relationship between young people and caring 
     individuals who offer guidance, support, and encouragement;
       Whereas a growing body of mentoring research provides 
     strong evidence that mentoring programs are successful in 
     reducing delinquency, substance use and abuse, and academic 
     failure;
       Whereas research also shows that formal mentoring that is 
     focused on developing the competence and character of the 
     young person promotes positive outcomes such as improved 
     academic achievement, self-esteem, social skills, and career 
     development;
       Whereas mentoring provides a supportive environment in 
     which young people can grow, expand their vision of the 
     future, and achieve goals that they never thought possible;
       Whereas more than 4,000 mentoring programs in communities 
     of all sizes across the United States focus on building 
     strong, effective relationships between mentors and mentees;
       Whereas public-private mentoring partnerships bring State 
     and local leaders together to support mentoring programs by 
     preventing duplication of efforts, offering training in best 
     practices, and helping mentoring programs make the most of 
     the limited resources available to benefit the Nation's 
     youth;
       Whereas the Corporation for National and Community Service 
     has convened--
       (1) the Federal Mentoring Council, which brings together 
     several Federal agencies to coordinate approaches to 
     mentoring within the Federal Government; and
       (2) the National Mentoring Working Group, consisting of 
     experts in mentoring from non-profit organizations and 
     foundations, to share information and ideas about mentoring 
     programs;
       Whereas more than 15,000,000 young people in the United 
     States fall into a mentoring gap and still need mentors;
       Whereas coordinated national, State, regional, and local 
     efforts need Federal support to connect more youth with the 
     powerful benefits that result from mentoring;
       Whereas designation of January 2008 as National Mentoring 
     Month will help call attention to the critical role mentors 
     play in helping young people realize their potential;
       Whereas the month-long celebration of mentoring will 
     encourage more organizations across the United States, 
     including schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith 
     institutions, foundations, and individuals to become engaged 
     in mentoring;
       Whereas National Mentoring Month will--
       (1) build awareness of mentoring;
       (2) encourage more people to become mentors; and
       (3) help close the Nation's mentoring gap; and
       Whereas the President issued a proclamation declaring 
     January 2008 to be National Mentoring Month and calling on 
     the people of the United States to--
       (1) recognize the importance of mentoring;
       (2) look for opportunities to serve as mentors in their 
     communities; and
       (3) observe the month with appropriate activities and 
     programs: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Mentoring 
     Month;
       (2) acknowledges the diligent efforts of individuals and 
     groups who promote mentoring and who are observing the month 
     with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote 
     awareness of and volunteer involvement with youth mentoring;
       (3) recognizes with gratitude the contributions of the 
     millions of caring adults and students who are already 
     volunteering as mentors; and
       (4) encourages more adults and students to volunteer as 
     mentors.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Keller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I 
would like to yield as much time as she may consume to the author of 
this bill, the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, as a cochair of the 
Congressional Mentoring Caucus, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
908, supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month.
  Thank you, Chairman Kildee and Chairman Miller, for bringing this 
legislation so quickly to the floor. I would also like to thank the 
other Chairs of the mentoring caucus, Ms. Davis of California, Mr. 
Keller of Florida and Mr. Rogers of Michigan, who are the original 
cosponsors of this legislation.
  The term ``mentor'' is from a Greek story in mythology. Odysseus 
asked his friend, Mentor, to teach and watch his young son, Telemachus, 
as he was off to fight in the Trojan War. This special relationship 
between Telemachus and his mentor was centered on education, friendship 
and advice, something we all need from time to time. Mentoring was 
then, and continues to be, a special caring and supportive relationship 
between two people based on mutual trust and respect.
  Mentoring relationships are between a mentor, an adult, and a mentee, 
a young adult or child, that focuses on the need of that young person. 
Caring adults, parents, teachers, counselors, religious leaders, they 
are all mentors, and they are all able to influence a child's life, and 
they are able to do that because they provide a foundation of love, 
support and guidance.
  Millions of individuals across this country serve as mentors to young 
men and women, encouraging them to develop strong characters and have 
healthy identities of themselves, so that as an adult they will be able 
to contribute back to our society.
  In a review of 10 mentoring programs, there are indicators that one-
on-one mentoring significantly enhances positive youth development in 
ways that we can measure: better school performance, better social 
skills, but most importantly, the ability for them to want to continue 
on with higher education and college. And that is according to a recent 
national youth conference that was held at the University of Minnesota.
  In Minnesota alone, there are 335 mentoring organizations. One of 
them, the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota, was formed in 1994 as a 
community initiative to promote mentoring for Minnesota's youth, 
particularly for those who are at risk and may not have an opportunity 
to have many positive role models in their life. This program has made 
a significant positive improvement in the lives of those children.
  Another wonderful mentoring program is Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

[[Page H418]]

In the St. Paul-Minneapolis region alone, there are more than 307,000 
children that benefit from this mentoring program with the time, energy 
and commitment from more than 3,200 volunteers.
  The new Youth Initiative Mentoring Academy is another successful 
program in Minnesota. This energetic program works with children at 
risk. These young children receive hands-on learning experiences about 
career opportunities, building confidence and self-esteem, and develop 
valuable leadership skills.
  Mentoring is also an important part of our global competitiveness. 
For example, in my district, Century College offers a preengineering 
program that includes the Century College Robot Show. Engineering 
students enter their projects, the college invites practicing engineers 
to judge the show, and Century College also extends an invitation to 
high school students to come so that they are able to see the 
opportunities available to them if they choose to study engineering. 
But it also gives them a chance to hook up with students and 
professionals who can help them steer interests in the right direction 
towards a successful career.
  I would also like to take time to thank all the congressional staff 
members, including many from my staff, who take time to mentor youth in 
programs such as Everyone Wins, Horton's Kids, and the Calvary Homeless 
Shelter.
  We all have an important role to play in the lives of children around 
us. We all need to be part of the process in shaping young lives so 
that they can achieve their fullest potential. Our youth need caring 
adults to make the connection in order to provide guidance and 
emotional support, to make a positive impact on their lives so that 
young children can become responsible, productive citizens.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and I 
look forward for opportunities to be a mentor myself again in the 
future as I had been in the past. But I also encourage my colleagues to 
look for opportunities to be mentors as well.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 908 which 
recognizes National Mentoring Month. National Mentoring Month 
celebrates mentors who are positively impacting the lives of young 
people and highlights the need for additional mentors to make 
themselves available to America's youth. I applaud Representative 
McCollum for sponsoring this resolution, and as a cosponsor I look 
forward to further bipartisan efforts to draw attention to support this 
very important issue.
  Mentors give their time and energy to improve the lives of American 
young people who are increasingly spending less time with concerned 
adult role models. Young people with mentors are less likely to drop 
out of school, use illegal drugs, or engage in criminal behavior. The 
positive effects of mentoring include higher self-esteem, higher 
graduation rates, and higher academic achievement. I have personally 
seen the positive impacts of mentoring firsthand. As a young boy, I 
benefited from having a mentor from the Big Brother Big Sisters 
program. As I became an adult, I then became a mentor to two high 
school students at my alma mater, Boone High School, who were at risk 
of dropping out of high school, but fortunately stayed in school and 
graduated.

                              {time}  1400

  I then became chairman of the board of the COMPACT mentoring program, 
which is the largest mentoring program in central Florida and it is 
targeted at at-risk students in high schools and middle schools who 
possibly may drop out of school. I am pleased to report that we were 
able to recruit 700 new mentors and the COMPACT program has a 95 
percent success rate of kids staying in school and going on to 
graduate. In fact, one of the mentors for the COMPACT program itself is 
none other than Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who has spent a 
great deal of time with the leaders of the COMPACT program and the 
children themselves every year.
  When I was elected to Congress in 2000, one of the first things I did 
was join together with then-Congressman Tom Osborne, the famous coach 
of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, to author the Mentoring for Success Act 
which Coach Osborne and I were able to successfully include in No Child 
Left Behind to provide substantial funding for mentoring programs. As 
we move forward with the No Child Left Behind reauthorization, we will 
work again to make sure that this language is included and stays in 
existing law.
  One of the big benefits of a mentoring program is in the area of 
crime prevention. Roughly eight out of 10 inmates in Florida's jails 
and prisons are high school dropouts. We see mentoring programs like 
the COMPACT program in Orlando having a 95 percent success rate of 
keeping kids in school. That's making a difference in these children's 
lives and also helping us as taxpayers because we pay $20,000 a year 
for people in State prisons and $25,000 a year for folks in Federal 
prison.
  President Bush himself has praised the importance of mentoring 
programs. On December 19, 2007, President Bush proclaimed January 2008 
as National Mentoring Month, giving public recognition to mentors who 
serve as role models. Specifically the President stated, ``By sharing 
their knowledge and experiences, mentors serve as examples for young 
people and help teach them the skills they need to succeed in life.''
  By honoring mentors and mentoring programs, we recognize the 
importance of mentoring programs implemented in our local schools and 
communities. We also draw attention to the components of a quality 
program, including appropriate screening of potential mentors and 
careful matching of youth with adults who have a genuine interest in 
providing guidance and being exemplary role models.
  Mentoring programs are varied and unique. They can be school-based or 
faith-based. They may be established through community organizations or 
corporate initiatives. I encourage people across the country to take 
time to discover what mentoring programs exist in their communities and 
see what they can do to help. Many volunteers are needed to meet the 
growing demand for mentors.
  Again, I am pleased to cosponsor House Resolution 908, recognizing 
the important work of mentors and quality mentoring programs, and I 
urge Members to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, at this time I am 
pleased to yield such time as she may consume to my distinguished 
colleague from California (Mrs. Davis).
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of House Resolution 908. I want to thank my colleague from 
Minnesota for sponsoring this important resolution.
  I want to share with you an inspirational story about a young man 
from my district in San Diego. Eduardo Corona was only in the ninth 
grade when he got into trouble with the law. Because of this mistake, 
he faced up to 6 years in a juvenile correctional facility. Instead of 
going to that facility, the judge met with him and spoke with him and 
allowed Eduardo to participate in a mentoring program called Reality 
Changers. I have had an opportunity to meet with the young people in 
that program and I can tell you, they are inspirational and very 
engaged in their lives and hoping to change the community someday.
  Reality Changers brings at-risk youth in San Diego together with 
their mentors, half of which are college students from the University 
of California at San Diego, and for about 3 hours a week over a 4-year 
time, these mentees study with their peer mentors, they take weekly 
practice SAT tests, do homework together, listen to guest speakers and 
take part in leadership development seminars.
  In addition to that, Reality Changers also sends its participants, 
all of which come from low-income families, to a summer program at UCSD 
where they take college level courses and prepare for higher education. 
With the help of his mentors in Reality Changers, Eduardo was able to 
turn his life around. In just 30 days, and this is kind of remarkable 
to me as I had a chance to work with some of the issues that he had to 
deal with, Eduardo doubled his

[[Page H419]]

GPA to 3.8. He attended UCSD's summer program and won two awards in 
mechanical engineering. And although he is just a sophomore in high 
school, he has already earned college credit and is well on his way to 
becoming the first member of his family to attend college.
  In fact, I need to tell you that all of Reality Changers' 
participants who have completed this 4-year program have gone on to a 
4-year university. Not bad, considering all of these young people are 
the first in their families to attend college. I think Eduardo's story 
really tells us and proves that with the right role models and people 
who truly care about them, our society's most challenged youth, 
challenged in many different ways, can turn their lives around and 
become leaders in our community.
  But we know that Eduardo fortunately and even programs like Reality 
Changers are not unique to San Diego. At this very moment, there are 
countless mentors across the Nation who, through their hard work and 
dedication, are making miracles happen every single day. And so that's 
why I rise today to encourage my colleagues to support this resolution 
that Congresswoman McCollum has brought forward and join all my 
colleagues here, and I am pleased to see them, to support House 
Resolution 908.
  In addition to this resolution, I ask all my colleagues to join me in 
support of increased funding for our Nation's mentoring programs, 
because we know that with that help, we can replicate Eduardo's success 
all around the country.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers. If 
I can inquire if the other side has any further speakers.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Just one remaining and that would 
be me.
  Mr. KELLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would urge all my colleagues, 
then, to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 908 and will yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I just want to 
mention in support of this bill that mentors are so important in 
helping today's children grow up to live productive and fulfilling 
lives. Unfortunately, there is still an acute need for more people to 
become involved in this rewarding venture and I hope that today's 
resolution convinces others to get involved as mentors.
  Again, I want to express my support for the National Mentoring Month 
resolution and recognize all the hard work that mentors put in on a 
daily basis. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the designation of January 
2008 as ``National Mentoring Month'' and to applaud the efforts of 
mentors who work tirelessly to support America's children.
  I am pleased today to honor mentoring organizations across the 
country, including those who serve the young people of my own 
community, such as: Catholic Big Brothers/Big Sisters; The Watts-
Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club; Girlfriends, Inc. of Long Beach; 
Helpline Youth Counseling, Inc.; and ELLAS, which stands for Embracing 
Latina Leadership Alliances.
  Mentors serve as advocates for children. They make sure that children 
know that they matter.
  Mentors actively support children's academic achievement, personal 
and social growth, and career development.
  Helping students achieve academically is a critical part of a 
mentor's role. Through tutoring and encouragement, mentors can help 
mentees appreciate the importance of staying in school and working hard 
to achieve success.
  Not only are young people who have been mentored less likely to fail 
in school and get in trouble for delinquency, they are also more likely 
to graduate and attend college. So mentoring doesn't just defend 
against unwanted outcomes, it promotes good ones.
  Mentoring isn't just for one kind of kid. It can benefit boys and 
girls, urban and rural, white and Latino. If a young person is coping 
with a divorce, being pressured to join a gang, or has just moved to a 
new school, mentors can help. They can offer guidance while building 
self-esteem and a sense of purpose.
  Mentoring isn't just for one kind of mentor, either. Mentors can come 
in all shapes and sizes. A mentor can be a lawyer, a mechanic, a 
religious leader, or an older brother. Anyone with a little extra time 
and a desire to help the next generation can become a mentor.
  By exposing youth to positive life experiences, mentors help children 
develop new skills and interests and get used to interacting with 
adults.
  By setting ambitious goals with their mentees, mentors can help 
today's children become the leaders of the future. Truly, a mentor can 
help a young person make her dreams a reality. Knowing all this, who 
wouldn't want to be a mentor?
  I hope I have succeeded in encouraging my colleagues to become 
mentors or to help promote mentoring in their communities. Our children 
can't raise themselves. I salute those who have served as mentors, and 
those who will do so in the future.
  Madam Speaker, once again I express my support for ``National 
Mentoring Month'' and recognize all the hard work mentors put in on a 
daily basis.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 908.
  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to recognize January 2008 
as Mentoring Month and I am proud to offer my support to H. Res. 908, 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month.
  The history of mentorship nationwide and in my district is a rich 
one. In Washington State alone, there are approximately 190 
organizations specifically dedicated to placing young people into 
formal mentoring relationships. These organizations spent approximately 
$30 million in 2006 to forge and maintain those relationships--much of 
that money coming from private citizens. Most important, all that work 
has amounted to approximately 29,000 young people in Washington State 
taking part in a positive mentoring relationship.
  One organization in particular that has had a tremendous and lasting 
impact on many disadvantaged youth in my district is Big Brothers Big 
Sisters. In 2007, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound provided more 
than 2,500 children with mentoring matches and has a vision to provide 
successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want 
them, contributing to better schools, brighter futures, and stronger 
communities for all.
  Many of us know personally or have heard first-hand the heartbreaking 
accounts of young people who veered off the path of success or, because 
of a variety of circumstances, never even knew where to find that path. 
Mentoring can be a promising approach to enriching the lives of 
disadvantaged children and youth by discouraging juvenile delinquency, 
improving school attendance and performance, and by providing positive 
adult role models.
  A young man from my district, Lorenzo, is a shining example of the 
unique way in which mentoring enriches the lives of our youth. Lorenzo 
moved to Washington State from West Samoa in 2006, and immediately 
received mentoring help from Ken--an individual who has consistently 
given of his time to mentor and nurture young people in my home 
community. Ken helped this young man through the discomfort of 
transitioning into a new environment, through the academic process, and 
into positive relationships with his new peers. Upon graduating from 
Kent-Meridian High School--my alma mater--Lorenzo gained admission to 
Central Washington University and is a wonderful example of the power 
of responsible and caring adult guidance.
  Today, as Congress recognizes January 2008 as National Mentoring 
Month, I encourage all citizens, businesses, public and private 
agencies, religious and educational institutions to support mentoring 
and give young people in our community the gift of time and friendship 
through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound or other mentoring 
programs throughout Washington State and our Nation.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 908, 
which supports the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month. I am 
proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution that recognizes mentors 
across the country who dedicate their time to support and guide the 
next generation.
  It is unfortunate that there are children in our country who do not 
know their worth, and because of this, many end up failing in school or 
falling into troubled lives. Mentors help these children get back on a 
path to success by imparting the most important message--that they too 
can succeed. Mentors have helped youth build up their self-esteem and 
work on their academics and social skills. Many mentors also help 
students reach their potential by helping them prepare for college and 
career development.
  Madam Speaker, I hope that by recognizing January as National 
Mentoring Month, we can honor the positive effect that mentoring has 
had on the youngest members of our society. I also hope that 
highlighting the importance of these relationships encourages others to 
seek out mentoring opportunities in their communities. This not only 
helps our children, but our society as a whole.
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, as co-chair of the 
Congressional Mentoring Caucus I rise today in strong support of H. 
Res. 908 supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month.

[[Page H420]]

  Thank you Chairman Kildee and Chairman Miller for bringing this 
legislation to the floor so quickly.
  I would also like to thank the other chairs of the Congressional 
Mentoring Caucus, Ms. Davis of California, Mr. Keller of Florida, and 
Mr. Rogers of Michigan, who were original cosponsors of this 
legislation.
  The term ``mentor'' derives from a Greek mythology where Odysseus 
asked his friend, Mentor, to teach and watch his son, Telemachus, as he 
took off to fight the Trojan War.
  This relationship was centered on advice, education and friendship.
  Mentoring was a special, caring, and supportive relationship between 
two people based on mutual trust and respect.
  In modern context, mentoring relationships are between the mentor (an 
adult) and a mentee (youth) that focuses on the needs of youth.
  Caring adults--parents, teachers, counselors, mentors and religious 
leaders are the most important influence in every child's life because 
they provide the foundation of love, support, and guidance.
  Millions of individuals across the country serve as mentors to young 
men and women--encouraging and promoting the development of strong 
characters and identities for youth who may not have a strong adult 
presence in their lives.
  A review of 10 mentoring programs indicates that one-on-one mentoring 
significantly enhances positive youth development like better school 
performance--youth develop better social skills, and more likely they 
will go on to college or higher education--that's according to data 
from a recent National Youth Conference held at the University of 
Minnesota.
  Minnesota is home to the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota, which 
formed in 1994 as a community initiative to promote mentoring for 
Minnesota youth, particularly those who are at risk and may lack 
positive role models in their lives.
  There are over 350 mentoring programs in Minnesota that connect youth 
with positive role models.
  One valuable mentoring program is Big Brothers Big Sisters. In the 
St. Paul/Minneapolis region alone, more than 3,700 children benefit 
from this mentoring program with the time and energy of more than 3,200 
volunteers.
  The Youth Initiative Mentoring Academies (YIMA) is another successful 
program in Minnesota. YIMA utilizes a mentoring model through aviation 
education. Through this program, at risk youth receive hands-on 
learning experiences about career opportunities, build confidence and 
self-esteem, and develop valuable leadership skills.
  Mentoring is also important to our global competitiveness. In my 
district, Century College offers a pre-engineering program that 
includes the Century College Robot Show. The college invites practicing 
engineers to judge the show, providing the opportunity for mentorship 
of the pre-engineering students. Century College also invites high 
schools students to attend the show so they are able to see the 
opportunities available through the study of engineering but also to 
introduce them to student and professionals who can help steer 
interested students in the right direction.
  I would like to take this time to thank Congressional staff members, 
including my staff, who take time to mentor youth in programs such as 
Everybody Wins, Horton's Kids, and Calvary homeless shelter.
  We all need to be part of the process in shaping young people's lives 
so that they can achieve their fullest potential.
  Young people need caring adults to make the connection, to provide 
guidance, caring and emotional support--all these are contributing to 
making positive impact on their lives--so that young can become 
responsible and productive citizens.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to support this resolution and to 
look for opportunities to be a mentor themselves.
  Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California. Madam Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Hirono). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) that 
the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 908.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________