Katy Magazine News
January 28, 2020
By Addie Davis
Katy ISD’s mentor program KEYS, Keep Encouraging Youth toward Success, will host its annual Men Who Mentor Breakfast, Friday, January 31, 7:30-9 a.m. at the Katy ISD Legacy Stadium community room. The deadline to RSVP is today.
The Men Who Mentor Breakfast is a unique gathering highlighting the need for men who are willing to mentor Katy ISD elementary and secondary male students. This guys-only event celebrates the power of mentoring and provides information and support targeted specifically to those interested in mentoring and who are currently mentoring at Katy ISD campuses.
List of Students Waiting for Mentors
“Each year, our Men Who Mentor event gives us the opportunity to spotlight our ongoing need for men to mentor young men,” says Executive Director of Community Partnerships Janet Theis.
Every Katy ISD campus has boys and young men who are waiting for a male mentor to serve as a listener and encourager.
“This year, Katy ISD has a waiting list of 75 male students in need of a mentor,” says Theis.
One Hour a Week Makes a Difference in a Child's Life
This annual event provides KEYS Mentor Program information and recruits men interested in becoming a mentor to a male student in Katy ISD. Men Who Mentor also provides support for existing male mentors and an opportunity for seasoned mentors to share their mentoring experiences in Katy ISD.
Established in 1995, the Keys Mentoring Initiative matches a caring adult with a Katy ISD student for one hour per week during the school year. Theis says the Men Who Mentor program launched in response to a continuing need for male KEYS mentors and to further support the initiative.
Program Yields Positive Results
Recent KEYS program statistics showed that:
· 88% of KEYS students increased grades
· 80% of KEYS students recorded decreased absences
· 87% of KEYS students showed decreased discipline
Together those numbers prove that one hour a week can make a difference in a child's life.
Existing male mentors in the KEYS Mentor Program are invited to bring friends on Friday who they think would enjoy the program, while offering their insight during small group discussions. Program content focuses exclusively on the unique challenges and opportunities of mentoring male students.
Katy ISD Partners in Education creates school-support opportunities for parents, businesses and the community by offering a wide variety of options amenable to every schedule, talent and expertise.
To RSVP for the Men Who Mentor Breakfast visit their website here.