Hoosier kids succeed with help from mentors

INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) - Although mentoring a young person is great all year round, January is National Mentoring Month, when there’s an effort underway to recruit more mentors and match them with Hoosier kids.

Indiana Youth Institute President and CEO Bill Stanczykiewicz says research shows young people who are mentored tend to do better in their lives.

"We're talking about one adult, one child, one hour, once a week, one school year,” Stanczykiewicz said. “Those kids tend to do better in school, they tend to make better choices, and tend to become self-sufficient adults. It's a great opportunity for people to make a real difference in the life of a child."

He also said parents are uniquely responsible for raising kids, but having another positive adult in a child’s life sure doesn’t hurt.

"It can be one-on-one as it is through Big Brothers, Big Sisters. It can be in small groups or teams as it is with 100 Black Men. Businesses get involved by having their employees mentor on the clock."

Stanczykiewicz says the Indiana Mentoring Partnership's website, ABetterHour.org, has recruited 2400 mentors statewide since it was founded in 2009. Enter your ZIP code at the bottom of the home page to find a mentoring program near you.