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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Why mentoring matters: Local experts weigh in

‘In a previous life, I was a teacher and counselor and worked with kids in sports and scouting. My wife and I also opened our homes to kids who needed a bed or a meal. I didn’t know we were ‘mentoring,’ but I always felt good about how well the kids did in life. We’ve had no school dropouts, and the attention we gave them made them feel a lot less neglected.”

Richard Heitman

Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center

‘As mentored kids stay in school, they realize they can grow beyond their beginnings and the choices of their parents who use drugs or abuse or dropped out of school themselves.”

Anne Zaro

Spokane Early Head Start

‘A mentor can be a teacher, neighbor, coach, day care worker, friend or positive role model. Whether for 10 minutes or for many hours a month, one never knows when he or she might have an impact on a child’s life. Mentoring children of all ages – whether they are from healthy homes or challenged homes – is our right and our privilege.”

Susan Cairy

Spokane Juvenile Court Services