Growing up can be tough. As the parent of three school-age kids, I know. It helps having someone who believes in you, motivates you, and keeps you focused on the path to success.
I was lucky to have a great mentor in my high school football coach. I’m not convinced that he ever thought the kid with a passion to lead the football team would grow up to lead a city of nearly one million people, but he looked in my eyes every day and told me I could do anything I dreamed.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a group of inspiring young men from Lee High School’s EVAC program and learn more about their needs and interests.
EVAC is the word “cave” spelled backwards, and represents the students’ emergence from the “dark” and adversity. One of the topics they discussed was the need for more mentors.
You can take action to improve educational outcomes by getting involved in a child’s life through mentoring. There are various organizations throughout the city with mentoring programs for Jacksonville youth. Mentors provide one of the best gifts a child can receive: the time and attention of a caring, responsible adult. By giving of yourselves, you help guide the lives of young people in a positive direction.
Efforts like this bring us closer and closer to our goal of building One City. One Jacksonville.
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