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CU 1-to-1 mentoring program seeks volunteers; district offers scholarship support
Summary
Champaign Unit 4 presented its school-based 1-to-1 mentoring program to the county committee, outlining program rules, training, the need for mentors and a scholarship opportunity for long-term mentees.
Lauren Smith, community outreach coordinator for Champaign Unit 4 School District, described the district’s 1-to-1 mentor program and asked county residents to volunteer or donate to the program’s scholarship foundation. The program pairs adult mentors with students for 30–45 minutes once a week during the school day on school grounds and operates in the Champaign and Urbana school districts.
Smith said the program began in 1994, expanded with a U.S. Department of Education grant in 2004 and now covers 18 schools in Champaign and eight in Urbana (the Urbana count grew after adding a sixth-grade center). There are about 460 students currently enrolled between the two districts; matches typically start in third through eighth grade and coordinators aim for continuity through high school when possible.
Volunteer requirements include an application, a fingerprint background check, a two‑hour training session and a brief interview with campus mentor coordinators. The program emphasizes relationship-building rather than academic tutoring. Smith described an associated scholarship foundation that provides up to $14,000 in postsecondary scholarship funds to students who have been in the program at least three years; the award can cover two years at a two‑year college or funds toward vocational training.
Ending: The district will hold additional mentor trainings in the fall and winter; interested volunteers can apply online or via paper application and may contact the program through the district for training dates and fingerprint scheduling.
