[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H487-H488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Williams). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Taylor) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, January is National Mentoring Month. Never 
underestimate the big impact that you can make with a little 
contribution of your time, wisdom, and attention.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of 
America organization. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America movement 
began in 1904. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America currently operates 
throughout the U.S. and in 12 countries across the world.
  Children joining Big Brothers Big Sisters of America are carefully 
placed in a one-on-one relationship with an older volunteer in a key 
stage in their development. These children are less likely to engage in 
such behaviors, such as drug use, other illegal activities, or social 
dysfunction.
  One such big brother, Andrew Jones, signed up for the program. Years 
ago, he met a young 12-year-old. This boy was from a low-income, 
single-parent household. His mother worked a lot of overtime at a local 
hospital. Misguided, the boy was already on probation at 12 years old, 
hanging around the wrong crowd, and headed in the wrong direction.
  Mr. Speaker, Andrew would take the boy to the English Grill 
restaurant for a weekly $2.22 breakfast: two eggs, two

[[Page H488]]

pancakes, and two sausages. He would teach the boy everything from 
having a napkin on his lap at the dinner table to stock options.
  For years to come, Andrew would attend hundreds of sporting events 
for the boy, show him the value of reading, reinforce manners, and 
build his self-confidence.
  Andrew would be the only person the boy would talk to if he lost a 
wrestling match. He would be the first person the boy would call for 
advice. Mr. Speaker, he would be the first person the boy would call 
from a tent hospital after being injured as a soldier in the deserts of 
Iraq.
  Mr. Speaker, that little boy is me.
  We can all seek out mentors in our own lives and we can all be 
mentors for others. We are all in this together. Never underestimate 
the big impact that you can make with a little contribution of your 
time, wisdom, and attention.

                          ____________________