[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2328]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE EFFORTS OF THE DELAWARE MENTORING COUNCIL

 Mr. CARPER. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the good 
work of the Delaware Mentoring Council and to celebrate the efforts of 
mentors across our great country. With the designation of January as 
National Mentoring Month, we focus national attention on the need for 
mentors, as well as how each of us--individuals, businesses, schools 
and community groups--can work together to increase the number of 
mentors and assure brighter futures for our young people.
  Mentors serve as role models, advocates, friends, and advisors. 
Numerous studies document that mentors help young people augment social 
skills, enhance emotional well-being, improve cognitive skills, and 
plan for the future. For some children, having a caring adult mentor to 
turn to for guidance and encouragement can make the crucial difference 
between success and failure in life.
  Delaware has been showing communities across the country the power of 
mentoring for quite a while. Mentoring has become an integral part of 
our school system in Delaware and is one of the keys to improving 
academic achievement among at-risk students.
  As Governor, I helped recruit thousands of mentors as part of a 
statewide effort and was actively involved in recruiting individuals, 
churches, service clubs, students, and corporations to help in 
mentoring Delaware's at-risk children. I first experienced the joy of 
mentoring in 1997 when I became a mentor to Darryl Burton, a fifth 
grader at Wilmington's Warner Elementary School. More than 5 years 
later, we now meet at Delcastle High School, where he is a freshman, 
every week during the school year. I know from personal experience that 
there are few things more rewarding than making a difference in the 
life of a child. Literally hundreds of mentors have said to me of their 
mentoring experience over the past 6 years, ``I know I'm helping the 
young person that I mentor, but I get even more out of it than they 
do.''
  We are making great strides in the First State in helping thousands 
of additional students realize their full potential, along with 
Delaware's rigorous academic standards. The Delaware Mentoring Council 
is, in large part, leading the way. We must continue to work to level 
the playing field and give every child the tools they need to succeed 
in school and in life.
  I am proud to be part of Delaware's army of mentors. We know that 
there are thousands of other students in our schools who would benefit 
greatly from having another positive role model in their lives, so I 
urge others to join us. For a child living in the shadows of life, an 
hour of our time can make a lifetime of difference for that child and 
for each of us.

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