MACON, Ga. — This year, Rosa Taylor Elementary is launching a new mentorship program that students wanted to bring, so the administrators listened to their wishes and now they're getting ready for its launch this year.
For 4th grader Kenneth Gainey, he had some things that made him excited for the school year.
"Learning some and accomplishing my goals," Gainey said.
Gainey and his principal Lashonda W. Gilbert are looking forward to the new mentorship program. It's an idea that came from learning what last year's students wanted to see out frokm their school.
The school learned students wanted a mentoring program through a survey students did. After learning that, they worked to make it happen for the 2023-24 school year.
"A lot of our community partners set up and said not only can I donate items, but I can donate time," Gilbert said.
Arizona White, executive pastor of Victory Church; Belvin Ware youth minister at Macedonia Baptist Church; and Paul Little, pastor at Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church belong to a group of more than 20 mentors committed to helping students at Rosa Taylor.
Those mentors will use the habits taught in the "Leader in Me" program in the school to work with students. That includes being proactive, beginning with the end in mind and seeking first to understand then to be understood.
"That allows for us to shape the lives of young people to help people find their voices and use their influence for positive and not negative impact," Little said.
If you want to be a mentor, you can pick up a volunteer application at the school. On the application, note your interest in the mentorship and school label project leads, then someone will follow up with you.