[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 1157-1158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00040]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 3 / Thursday, January 5, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 1157]]


                Proclamation 9560 of December 28, 2016

                
National Mentoring Month, 2017

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                With every generation, our Nation has expanded the 
                essential idea that no matter who you are or where you 
                come from, America is a place where--with hard work and 
                perseverance--you can make it if you try. Although 
                obstacles and challenges along the way can be 
                discouraging, the mentorship and support of others have 
                always motivated our people to persevere--even in the 
                toughest of times. At the start of each new year, we 
                observe National Mentoring Month to honor the parents, 
                families, teachers, coaches, and mentors who pour their 
                time and their love into lifting up America's daughters 
                and sons.

                Nobody succeeds on their own: each young person's 
                strength and resilience is fostered by those who have 
                taught them they can do anything they put their mind 
                to. Whether helping mentees study for a test, learn a 
                new skill, or lift their heads up after a setback, 
                mentors provide them the chance they need to move 
                forward and set their sights even higher. And in 
                helping mentees achieve their goals, mentors can 
                inspire them to reach back and provide the same support 
                to someone else in need of a mentor. To learn how you 
                can mentor others and make a lasting difference, visit 
                www.Serve.gov/Mentor.

                In too many communities, many children still have the 
                odds stacked against them, which is why my 
                Administration has striven to increase mentorship 
                opportunities across our country. Among other steps we 
                have taken, we established the My Brother's Keeper 
                initiative, which has inspired private organizations 
                and communities in every State to address opportunity 
                gaps and encourage mentorship as a tool for helping all 
                young people reach their full potential. At the White 
                House, we started our own mentee program and regularly 
                met with local youth to provide leadership and 
                guidance. And our efforts to bring higher education 
                within reach for more Americans and expand 
                apprenticeship initiatives have helped ensure more 
                students can access the educational and career 
                opportunities they need to thrive.

                This month, we reflect on the transformative role 
                mentorship can play and acknowledge the many ways that 
                mentors have helped our next generation of leaders and 
                innovators grow. As a Nation, we are stronger when 
                every individual has the opportunity to contribute to 
                our American story. By working to give each person a 
                better chance at success, we can unlock their potential 
                and empower them to serve others in the same way.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim January 2017 as 
                National Mentoring Month. I call upon public officials, 
                business and community leaders, educators, and 
                Americans across the country to observe this month with 
                appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

[[Page 1158]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                first.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2017-00040
Filed 1-4-17; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F7-P