Wednesday, January 25, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
21
Circle of Friends mentors unlock stories
By Sue Stafford
Correspondent
“I believe all children have
stories to tell and all children
need an adult to listen,” said
Circle of Friends mentor and
board member, Jan Martin.
If you would like to be
one of those listeners, Circle
of Friends will be conducting
mentor training on Saturday,
January 28. To become a
mentor one must apply, have
an interview, and agree to an
extensive background check,
including fingerprinting,
driving record, social media,
and personal references.
Kelly Davis Martin,
M.P.H. and program direc-
tor for Circle of Friends,
points to Stanford University
research, which indicates
that consistency of mentor-
ing over a long period of time
is of great benefit to a child.
Davis Martin used the meta-
phor of putting one marble at
a time into a jar. It may take
a long time, but the end result
is a full jar.
Sisters resident Duncan
Campbell started a similar
program in Portland called
Friends of the Children,
which utilized paid mentors.
That program, which now has
nine sites, was adapted for
Sisters, using all-volunteer
mentors. One Sisters child
told her mentor, “I would
never want a paid mentor. I
know my mentor wants to be
with me.”
The goal is to match a
child with a mentor when
they are in kindergarten
or first grade and continue
a mentoring relationship
through high school. The
mentor may not be the same
person for all 12 years. A stu-
dent may have three or four
mentors during their school
career in Sisters, but the con-
sistency of participating in
the mentoring program has
been shown to provide cost
savings to the public with a
reduction in teen pregnancy
and less involvement with
the juvenile justice system by
children who have mentors.
Mentors can be an entire
family, couples, individu-
als, or several people co-
mentoring one child. The
arrangement all depends on
the needs of the individual
child and the availability of
time by the mentor, Children
are referred mainly by teach-
ers and school counselors, but
some parents contact COF
directly to enroll their child
in the mentoring program.
There are many differ-
ent reasons for a child to
participate including socio-
economic factors, the family
structure, having no extended
family in the area, any num-
ber of reasons for needing
extra support, and sometimes
behavioral or academic chal-
lenges. There are currently
32 mentors matched with 27
children. The waiting list is
always long and the need for
new mentors great. They are
hoping to match five to 10
new mentors with children
after the next training.
Circle of Friends organizes
many programs for mentors
and their children – making
birdhouses, cooking classes,
outdoor activities, marching
in the holiday parade, a trip
to Harmony Farm Sanctuary,
and art experiences with
Annie Painter in her Sisters
studio. They also provide
experiences that not all chil-
dren are able to do, such as
swim and martial arts classes,
for which they pay the fees.
At Christmastime, each child
receives a $20 gift certificate
to the Habitat for Humanity
thrift store to do Christmas
shopping. The children love
having the opportunity to
give something to others.
Mentors receive ongoing
support at their once-a-month
meeting where they can “talk
shop,” build resiliency, and
nurture that mentoring spark.
Twice a year there is an
appreciation dinner for all the
volunteers. The children go
to Annie Painter’s studio to
make appreciation gifts and
gratitude cards for their men-
tors to receive at the dinners.
Jan Martin, who is a
retired educator, wanted to
find a volunteer role that
would be a good fit for her
time, energy, passion and
experience.
“I wanted volunteer work
focused on relationships –
something I had spent my
professional life pursuing and
nurturing,” she said.
“I was matched with a
spunky, hilarious, affection-
ate, brilliant, beautiful five-
year-old kindergarten girl
in November of 2015 and
we immediately became fast
friends,” Martin recalled.
After 13 wonderful
months as her mentor, Martin
had to say goodbye to her lit-
tle friend when her family left
the area in December. Martin
doesn’t know for sure what
impact that year of mentor-
ing had but her now six-year-
old asked to do Facetime
so she could actually see
her.
“I know I miss her pres-
ence in my life… I will con-
tinue to communicate and
hope,” Martin admitted.
It’s fairly obvious that
Martin did in fact have a very
positive impact.
“She once said the most
precious thing to me,”
recounted Martin. “‘When I
grow up, I want to be a men-
tor, and when I die I will
think of you.’”
Kay Johnson has been
a mentor with COF for
four years. Prior to mov-
ing to Sisters, she mentored
Wilsonville high school stu-
dents with their academics
as well as mentoring in the
middle school.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Kay Johnson and Alexis — a pair of friends.
Johnson particularly
enjoys starting the mentor-
ing process with younger
children in a program that
encompasses more than just
school.
Of her mentee, Johnson
said, “She knows she has my
support and encouragement
and friendship. We get to
do things together that show
how important she is and her
potential and confidence con-
tinues to increase.”
Johnson has volunteered
for many Sisters organiza-
tions like the ASPIRE pro-
gram and Sisters Schools
Foundation, but she has
strong positive feelings about
being a mentor for COF.
“I absolutely love this
program and my friend!”
she exclaimed. “It’s fun get-
ting to know the family and
understanding how we can all
work together to help make
our children more successful
in life.”
The activities that mentors
and mentees can participate
in run the gamut, from just
spending time together play-
ing or talking or cooking, to
outings to the High Desert
Museum, horseback riding,
ice skating, the fish hatchery,
riding bikes, and the science
fair.
Martin sums up the men-
toring experience beautifully.
“I’ve been reminded how
much children need to have
someone see the very best in
them, listen to their stories,
cares and concerns, and look
at them with unconditional
love in your eyes.”
For more information,
contact Kelly Davis Martin
at 541-588-6445 or Kelly@
acircleoffriendsoregon.com.
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