There’s no better way to kick off a new year than with National Mentoring Month! Launched in 2002 by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Mentoring Month focuses attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us – individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits – can work together to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for youth. National Mentoring Month gives us an opportunity to pause and remember why we choose to mentor and appreciate the mentors we’ve had in our lives.

At WITS, January marks the midpoint in our program year, and is a time for the three Rs – reflecting, resetting, and refreshing.

We encourage mentors to:

• Reflect on the first half of the year with their students.
• Reset a partnership and start anew with a positive mindset.
• Refresh their mentoring sessions with new conversations and new books – building on the strong foundation that’s already been created.

National Mentoring Month is a great way to highlight the three Rs, and this year, we’ll be doing that through our first ever WITS Mentoring Month Calendar. Every day in January will include an activity that relates to mentoring – from tips on how to be a better mentor, to WITS student and mentor spotlights, to a Tedx Talk about the science of mentorship, there’s something for everyone!

Lastly, thank you to our 1,500+ mentors! Click here to download a template and tell us why you mentor. Share your image on social media and tag us @witschicago. This month is about you and the time you invest in making sure Chicago’s students thrive and succeed. WITS is so grateful for your service.