Teammates

Tanya Winter, coordinator for the Teammates Mentoring program at the Seward Middle and High School, spoke to the Seward Kiwanis Club this noon on the program. The Teammates program was started by Tom and Nancy Osborne back in 1991 when they recognized the advantage of young people spending some time with an caring adult. Mentors meet with Mentees for one hour per week at school facilities. They are always paired in a same sex basis. They currently have 45 "matches" here is Seward with other Mentors in the process of background checks and getting approved.  She told of success stories where students who had a Mentor in HS, saying that it was because of the encouragement of their Mentor that they had gone on  to college as well as having other beneficial effects on their lives. . Many of the students just appreciate having some one  listen to them. The age of Mentors doesn't seem to be a factor in the relationship. She mentioned a Tom Osborne quote to the effect that: "The true measure of character is when you do something for someone who is unable to return the favor."