Dear Editor:

Best Friends of Neenah-Menasha is an organization that was founded in 1973 as a mentoring program for girls. Now it is a mentoring organization for children in the community. It takes place at NHS on Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. In the program, a high school student would assist an elementary or middle school-aged child with school work and then play with them for one hour a week. These children usually need some sort of support, whether it be in school or in having a positive role model, and that is what mentors provide for them.

Personally, being a mentor is an all-around rewarding experience. More high school students should sign up to be a mentor for the Best Friends program because of the impact that volunteering has on the mentor, the community, and most importantly, the child.

Volunteering is not only good for the community and for the people being helped, but it is also good for the mentor and his or her emotional health. According to a study in Social Science and Medicine at the London School of Economics, 16 percent of people who volunteer weekly reported feeling happier. Additionally, volunteering can help fight depression and boost one’s self-esteem.

According to philanthropist Caroline Kennedy, being a volunteer in one’s community can help mold a teen-ager into becoming a better citizen. People who get involved at a young age are more likely to vote, which is important for the nation as a whole.

Lastly, the children being mentored are the ones that reap the most benefits. Maia Van Groll, Program Services Coordinator at Best Friends of Neenah-Menasha, received an e-mail on a day the program had to be canceled, saying how disappointed the kids were, some even crying, because of how much they looked forward to this program. The praise ended with an enthusiastic:  “You guys make a difference!” Children just need role models, someone to care for them, or just someone who will play with them once every week so that they know they have a friend. A mentor does that for a child and impacts his or her’s life greatly. Van Groll said that throughout the entire program, which includes other types of mentoring, Best Friends is currently helping 487 children and that school counselors always assure her that they have more kids for her.

More mentors are alway needed. If any high school students are faced with freetime on a Monday night, this is an opportunity they should consider. Not only is mentoring an easy way to get volunteer hours, it could change a child’s life; it could also change the mentor’s, and that is more rewarding than a number on a piece of paper.

Sincerely,

Megan Altekruse, freshman