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Urbana SD 116 highlights mentoring program expansion and volunteer impact for National Mentor Month
Summary
Angie Armstrong, the district mentoring and community involvement coordinator, told the board the CU 1 to 1 mentoring program has 118 mentors and 425 volunteers this semester and estimated $468,367.11 in donated time; she outlined National Mentor Month events, recruitment steps and trainings.
Angie Armstrong, the district mentoring and community involvement coordinator, presented a National Mentor Month update to the Urbana School District 116 board, outlining outreach, recruitment and program statistics.
Armstrong said the CU 1 to 1 mentoring program continues to grow and reach classrooms: this semester the district counted 118 mentors and 425 volunteers, an increase in donated time totaling an estimated $468,367.11 using the Illinois value of volunteer time. She said the program will mark National Mentor Month with activities including an "I Am Mentor" social-media day, a Jan. 22 mentor luncheon at Stone Creek Church and a radio interview and bus‑ad campaign in Champaign.
The presentation included school-level totals: King School reported 9 mentors and 73 mentor hours; Lille showed increased volunteer hours; Urbana Early Childhood was added to the report with 14 volunteers contributing roughly 1,107.5 hours; Urbana Middle and Urbana High reported larger volunteer-hour totals. Armstrong said coordinators are working to recruit more bilingual mentors for Yankee Ridge and increase mentoring at the new sixth grade center.
Board members asked about mentor logistics when a student is absent. Armstrong said mentors are instructed during orientation to call the school and ask the secretary if the student is present; staff confirmed mentors may identify themselves as that student's mentor when checking attendance. She also described background checks and fingerprint clearance required for volunteers.
Armstrong described training and retention goals: three trainings are scheduled (Jan. 29, Feb. 4 and Feb. 12) plus a part‑two session for mentors with at least a year of experience. She said the district will continue targeted recruitment with U of I student organizations and community partners.
The board thanked Armstrong and the volunteers; she said the program will share the commercial produced for upcoming Illini basketball broadcasts and provide the board with the materials.
Next steps: the district will continue recruiting bilingual mentors, hold the scheduled trainings and circulate program materials to board members and staff.
