Newspaper Page Text
Mentoring Program is seeking
volunteers for training session
By Laura Lavezzo
Lifestyle Editor
“One hundred years from now,
it will not matter what my bank
account was, what sort of house
I lived in or the kind of car I
drove, but the world may be dif
ferent because I was important
in the life of a child.”
—Author Unknown
Sacrificing just 30 minutes per
week of your free time could
change the entire future of a
child’s life. Forsyth County
Schools invite residents to join a
community program which
seeks to make a difference in
everyone’s future through chil
dren. Anyone who would like to
help improve living conditions
in the community is urged to
attend “Forsyth’s Future:
Building Partnerships for
Healthy Youth and Healthy
Communities,” an initial train
ing session for the school sys
tem’s mentoring program.
“Mentoring has been one of
the most rewarding experiences
of my life,” says Connie Hewatt,
a county resident who became
involved in the program through
her membership in the Sawnee
Woman’s Club. “These kids
benefit so much from having
just one positive influence in
their lives,” Hewatt says. “It can
change their entire future.”
Through a minimum invest
ment of 30 minutes per week,
volunteers can make a new
BARNES from 1A
scholarships, as well as health care
reform.
Following a 19-gun salute and
Barnes’ inaugural address, Lt.
Gov. Mark Taylor was sworn into
office and then Barnes adminis
tered the oath of office to the con
stitutional officers. When the day
was done, it fell to Taylor to
adjourn the festive proceedings as
his first act of office.
, While the Inaugural Address
was open to the public and they
turned out en masse, it was a day
fOrthe politically privileged.
Barnes and his wife, Marie,
remainedSn the Governor’s quar
ters with his chosen few until time
to be ushered onto the grandstand.
Only state officials or those with
invitational prestige passes were
permitted inside. It was a day of
wide smiles, a sea of suits and
gripping handshakes.
The two-hour inauguration cer
emony was broadcast live on the
State of Georgia’s Internet site,
www.state.ga.us. It was the first
time in Georgia history that a state
event has been transmitted live via
a video webcast.
Around the Capitol, life went
on as usual. Joggers enjoying the
mild weather passed by, taking in
the sights and sounds of marching
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’ “GROWING
GOD’S VISION”
Meeting M South iorsyth High School
friend and help establish a trust
ing, lasting friendship with a
child who very much needs it.
Children served by the program
are generally considered “at
risk,” which can simply mean
they are living in a single-parent
environment and need some
quality time with another adult,
or it can also mean the child has
experienced some abuse or
neglect, resulting in a bruised
self esteem more than anything
else. The program’s goal is to
match 15 volunteer mentors
with each school; however,
some schools are lacking.
“We have kids lined up who
want mentors and there aren’t
mentors available to them,”
Hewatt says.
Hewatt, who is also a member
of the Georgia Council on Child
Abuse, says she was trained to
address the child as the “pilot”
of the mentor-child relationship.
The adult mentor is the “co
pilot,” offering support and
guiding the way, not making
judgments and decisions for the
child.
“If the child is experiencing
trouble in math, then we focus
on math that day,” she explains.
Likewise, if the child had a dis
agreement with another student,
the mentor listens and offers
encouragement over that issue.
“Everything is confidential,
unless the child reveals some
thing which indicates someone’s
life is endangered,” Hewatt says.
bands and cheerleaders. Office
workers peered out windows to
watch the proceedings beneath the
tremendous red, white and blue
banners. Even the occasional
homeless person wandered by
from time to time, apparently
unconcerned by the impressive
showing of security.
Inside the Governor’s office
following the ceremony, the
atmosphere was festive.
“Roy was ecstatic about the
support and outpouring of affec
tion from friends today,” con
firmed Press Secretary Gary
Horlacher. “I think he was gen
uinely uplifted by the whole
event.”
But, like the impatience many
feel after a long holiday hiatus,
Barnes is ready to get to work.
“There is so much ceremony,
and it’s an important part of the
transition of office,” said
Horlacher. “But Roy is a legislator
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Overall, however, a mentor is
not an authority figure in the
child’s eyes.
“It’s a friendship,” says
Hewatt.
The next system-wide training
for Forsyth County’s mentoring
program will be held Friday,
Jan. 15, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
in the South Forsyth High
School auditorium.
The Cumming/Forsyth County
Council on Youth’s needs sur
vey will be presented in the
morning, followed by a series of
workshops on topics such as
gangs and violence in Forsyth
County; raising responsible chil
dren; childhood depression;
health prevention strategies;
Attention Deficit Disorder and
service learning. In the after
noon, Ari Russell, executive
director of GUIDE, will address
the continued need for collabo
ration among schools, commu
nity agencies, businesses, par
ents and students.
“We will then develop an
action plan with strategies we
can use together to strengthen
and continue to help our youth
become productive, successful
citizens,” said Susie Brookshire,
prevention specialist and train
ing coordinator.
Interested individuals may
contact Brookshire at (770) 887-
7705, ext. 218 or Debbie
Rondem, director of student
support services, at (770) 887-
2461, ext 244.
■HHE—
Photo/Cheryt Vaughn
Barnes heads to the ceremo
ny as security crowded the
Capitol hallway on Monday.
at heart and he’s ready to get on
with his hopes and plans for the
state. He has waited a long time to
pursue this agenda and he’s
absolutely ready to get about that
work.”
Song A Long with the Sounds of Sawnee
________ ___—,
Holiday concert
X,, ' 'Regions Bank joined with
the Sounds of Sawnee
Community Band in present
in 9 the 9 ala Christmas con-
MKEIjSr fl cert and sing a long in
December Kenny Foxx,
||||| principal was the guest
PM| soloist, Harris Blackwood
was the narrator and Renee
Turner was the song leader.
The band is directed by
William Prescott, with asso
ciate conductors Beau
Am-- < Nygaard and Patrick
I Denney. On the musical pro-
gram, the tuba-baritone
ensemble of Jim Garner,
n ATom Bortner .Mark
McDonald, Patrick Denney
Bl and John s elf was
aS WaS the ~Ute ensemble of
Salphi Adrouny, Jocelyn
- Crist, Anne West, Faith
’ ' ' * . . Wofford, Kathy Williams and
Photos/submitted Josie Bowman.
■ 'ijZ/
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Wxlntday, January 13,1999 I
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