District 93 seeking mentors to help students

When Vince Ackerman started volunteering in Carol Stream Elementary District 93's mentoring program, the second-grader he worked with had behavior problems and got into trouble with teachers.

The issues were "typical stuff you see in second grade," Ackerman said, such as talking and not paying attention.

Ackerman, who is a District 93 school board member, says he mentored the child for the past two years, meeting with him during lunch and talking about what was going on in class. Sometimes they would play games and invite friends.

Ackerman said he would "kind of be the person that was there to listen to him, wasn't being judgmental, trying to help guide him a little bit."

As time passed, the student's behavior significantly improved.

The district is hoping to build on such successes by seeking other adult volunteers this fall to join its program.

Each mentor is matched to a student and meets weekly during lunch and/or recess for up to 40 minutes. The program is entering its 13th year.

A lot of mentors volunteer for more than a year. They also have the chance to work with the same child. Julie Augustyn, one of the district's prevention coordinators, said volunteers range from college-age mentors to "grandparent types."

The program is open to all District 93 students and students typically are referred by staff members, Augustyn said.

She said participating students "might just need an additional adult role model, an additional adult advocate, someone kind of in their corner. And that person just really provides encouragement (and) is a sounding board, a role model, a good listener."

Kids are re-referred each year.

"I think it just gives kids a warm, fuzzy feeling that there's another adult who cares and consistently expresses care and concern and belief in me," Augustyn said. "For some of these kids, it's just the extra little boost they need in their day and in their week."

Augustyn said her goal is to always have all students who need them matched with a mentor. She said she feels like the district always has students on a waitlist, and that the program is constantly in need of mentors.

Ackerman said he's seen his student's behavior improve.

"That was kind of the rewarding part of it, being able to go in and not having to hear about what he did in a negative sense but more of hearing what he was doing in a positive sense," Ackerman said. "So it was definitely rewarding from that standpoint, to feel I was a part of that student growing up."

Adults can apply to be mentors throughout the year. Anyone who wants to be a mentor may email Augustyn at jaugusty@ccsd93.com or Abbey Chorley at chorlea@ccsd93.com.