Gilmer begins mentoring group for students
GILMER — Sometimes a young man needs know someone is watching when he ponders whether to pick up his homework or watch TV. That's the premise of a new mentoring program that pairs black male
students at Gilmer's Bruce Middle School with mentors they met Sunday
night. "Graduation seems a long
way off — it's not," Bruce Middle School Principal Greg Watson told the
16 or so young students who met with about 20 volunteer mentors in the
school's cafeteria Sunday. "It's important to start planning right now. ... You're going to
make mistakes along the way, but we're going to try to give you a
support network." The mentoring program for young black men formed about two weeks
ago. Sunday was the first meeting between the mentors and students. The
mentors also are black. James E. Venters of McNeese and St. Claire Streets Church of Christ
in Gilmer said each volunteer will be paired with a student. The mentor
will make regular stops at the campus to check the student's progress,
but Venters said off-campus activities also will be part of the
curriculum.