FUESD launches Mentoring program

FALLBROOK — On April 16, parents, students and community members met at the Mike Choate Childhood Development Center for the first time as they kicked off the first year of the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District’s (FUESD) mentoring program.

The program is being sponsored through a three-year grant from the United States Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools through the San Diego County Office of Education.

Mentoring to Excel and Empower Together (MEET) matched eight La Paloma and Live Oak elementary school students with mature mentors from Fallbrook. Mentees will meet with their mentors once a week at the school site for one hour. They will also be participating in educational study trips, community service projects and special events. Training is provided for all participants as well as ongoing support throughout the year.

Mentoring has long been recognized as a viable and effective strategy to affect the lives of young people. The volunteers wanted to become mentors for many reasons, most being based on their own positive experiences having caring adults in their lives as young people as well as the strong desire to give back to their community of Fallbrook.

The mentors are Pastor Gary Golike, high school junior Genesis Garcia, produce manager Abel Lopez, college student Melissa Lopez, semi-retired builder Bill Pinder, retired Boy Scout executive Nick Stamos, computer technology expert Renato Velasquez and program coordinator Leticia Maldonado/Stamos.

More volunteers are being sought for future opportunities. Adults, college students and mature high school students can inquire at Live Oak Elementary School.