Mentors Begin New School Year
Thirty-six mentors and three mentor program board members gathered at Deptula’s Restaurant last week for a dinner celebration kicking off the school year.
Mentor Morad El-Jour-bagy, board member Shawne Holder and mentor Dianne Parr are standing in the foreground with mentors Donnie Pope, Angie Lee Willis, Dee Brooks, and Stacy James and board member Jason Parr congregating in the background.
Forty-eight mentors are currently trained and approved to work with students in the school, and the mentors at Monday’s dinner learned that there are 42 more children waiting for mentors.
During dinner, the mentors played “Mentor Trivia” at each table, trying to guess the mentor based on his or her vocation, family information and hobbies.
The program featured information about who is mentoring and how many children are on the wait list at each Jasper County public school. Debra Hopkins, former executive director, was recognized for her five years of service and dedication to the program and received a standing ovation.
Mentors commit to meeting with a student one day a week for at least 30 minutes, usually during lunch.
They must fill out an application, submit to a background check, and attend a two-hour training.
Mentors attending Monday’s event included Nancy Baeder, Glenda Bentley, Dee Brooks, Jim Burch, Liz Caldwell, Jim Daniel, Juanita Davis, John DeGarmo, Sage Edwards, Morad El-Jourbagy, Jehan El-Jourbay, Bob Ferrante, Debra Hopkins, Sidney Jackson, Stacy James, Michaela Kelly-Jackson, and Victoria Lawrence.
Also, Nancy Lynch, JoEllen Mack, Dianne Parker, Dianne Parr, Donnie Pope, Kasey Reid, Rebecca Rogers, Mike Shields, Sandra Shockley, Ellen Watson, Gail Williams, Angie Lee Willis, and Candice Yancey.
Board members Sage Edwards, Jason Parr and Shawne Holder were also in attendance.
Additional mentors include LeAnn Airington, Tammy Boggs, Mary Camp, Troy Cannon, Jan Evans, Valerie Fritz, Robert Grimsley, Sheri Guli, Tiffani Hendrix, Rick Jackson, James Lawrence, Elaine Luginbill, Shawn Lynch, Larry Lynch, Bill Marsh, Tracy Norton, Jackie Pate, Lisa Pope, Gigi Shields, Johnny Smith, Melissa Strozier, Jim Walsh, and Rufus Whitlock.
For more information on becoming a mentor or supporting the program, visit the website at www.jcmentorprogram.com or call Jehan El-Jourbagy at 706-816-0465.