[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 1808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTORING

  (Mr. HILL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the importance and impact 
of mentoring in our society.
  I recently heard from a constituent, Karissa, who works with the Boys 
& Girls Club in my district in Bryant, Arkansas.
  One of her mentees was struggling, having trouble in school, finding 
it difficult to build friendships with her fellow students. Karissa's 
guidance and encouragement helped build confidence, which led to 
participation in the school's JROTC program and improving her 
camaraderie with her fellow cadets.
  At-risk youth face many difficult challenges, and life is infinitely 
more challenging without the support of caring adults.
  With mentors, at-risk youth are less likely than their peers to skip 
school or use drugs and are more likely to go to college, play sports, 
and volunteer in our communities.
  Whether it is through a mentoring organization like Scouting or the 
Boys & Girls Clubs, a nonprofit, a religious institution, or school, 
being a positive influence for our young people goes a long way in 
strengthening our communities and serving the best interest of our 
children.

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