Team Dover pitches in to help as mentors for local school children

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Connecting Generations is looking for quality individuals to mentor local Delaware children and many Team Dover Airmen have answered the call.

"Connecting Generations has been around for 25 years; we're in schools in every county throughout the state, almost a hundred schools right now," said Jen Marek, Connecting Generations director of operations. "We are always looking for new mentors."

Creative Mentoring, a program of Connecting Generations, supports in-school mentoring programs in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties of Delaware. They provide quality training to volunteer in-school mentors as well as help schools design and implement quality in-school mentoring programs.

According to Creative Mentoring, a mentoring relationship can be one of the most important relationships in a child's development. Mentoring helps children achieve success in school and life by helping to build self-esteem, self-confidence, interpersonal communications skills, social values, aspirations and school engagement.

These mentors typically meet with their mentee for 30 to 60 minutes once a week. This program is currently looking for quality individuals, including Team Dover Airmen, to volunteer their time to mentor. Creative Mentoring helps kids in elementary, middle and high schools throughout Delaware. 

"We're always looking for quality, consistent mentors," said Michelle Arthurs, Connecting Generations creative mentoring manager. "And we always get that from the air base."

There are currently 32 Airmen volunteering as mentors throughout the state.

"One of the big things our kids need is to know how to act in the community," said Bill Buczynski, Kent County Secondary Intensive Learning Center principal. "Having a positive influence and having a role model is important. This mentoring program helps build pride in the community."

According to Jennifer Larlee, Connecting Generations mentor coordinator at the Kent County Secondary ILC, she has kids waiting at her school for new mentors.

"I have 13 kids right now waiting for mentors," said Larlee. "They occasionally come to see me and ask if I have a mentor for them yet."

One mentor, Tech. Sgt. Patrick Dermady, 436th Operations Support Squadron Intelligence Flight chief, has been mentoring 8th grader Jawann Butcher for the past five months.

"Over the past several months, he's still the same kid," said Dermady. "But what I've noticed is that he's able to open up more and he's more trusting and willing to tell me about personal stuff."

Fourteen year old, Butcher believes that Dermady's mentoring has benefited him and also believes that mentoring like it would be beneficial to other kids much like himself.

"I'm learning how to be a better kid," said Butcher.

This mentoring does not only benefit the mentee however, Dermady explained.

"I have three kids at home, and I realize that the time I spend with them is very precious," said Dermady. "I see the kids here and the lack of parental time, and I wouldn't want my kids to have that lack of relationship with me. So this has taught me to be a better parent for my kids."

If you would like to become a mentor or would like additional information, please see the Connecting Generations website, www.connecting-generations.org, or by phone, (302) 656-2122.