| February 21st, 2018

2018 Capital City Mentoring Challenge & Award

By: journeymagazine

By| Javon Cohen

In partnership with the Mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, the 1000 Mentors Strong group hosted their third annual Capital City Mentoring Challenge and Award event at the Walker Ford Community Center on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

This event highlights Mayor Andrew Gillum’s 1000 Mentors Initiative where he seeks to recruit 1,000 mentors to volunteer one hour of their time, once a week, to meet with a student mentee.

Communications Director Jamie Van Pelt said, “This has been an ongoing initiative since I started working under Mayor Gillum roughly four years ago and to have the different programs here tonight shows growth and impact it has on the community.”

Mayor Andrew Gillum, explained the the importance of mentoring and what the 1000 mentor initiative has done over the years. “Mentoring is not all glory and easy, there are rough days, but that’s the thing with mentors, despite some of the challenges, at the end, it really is worth it,” said Mayor Gillum.

“I lived in a neighborhood were their were positive male role models and i learned from them, I made a vow that if i had the opportunity as an adult, i would do the same thing, be a mentor, an example for young people,” said, Director of School Improvement Curtis Richardson.

“I work at Gadsden County High School and go to work everyday dress as i am now, in a suit and tie because i want those kids in rural Gadsden County to see an African American male who comes to work dressed up then they can dream it and do it to.”

Photo Courtesey of Javon Cohen

Some of the partners and programs involved had the opportunity to set up booths to talk more directly with interested members in the audience. Those programs included Ernie Sims Big Hits Foundation, United Way Reading Pals, Big Brothers Big Sisters, STARS Mentoring Academy, the Council on Culture and Arts and the Tallahassee Community College Take Stock in Children Program.

Tallahassee Community College Program Director, Margo Thomas said, “College students around Tallahassee are encouraged to become mentors as well.”

“We accept anyone who is willing to give up their time for at least an hour each week to work with middle or high school students to push them to gain a higher education,” said Thomas.

So far about 700 students and adults in the Tallahassee community have sign up to be a part of the mayor’s initiative. They hope to reach 1,000 mentors by the end of Mayor Gillum’s term.