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2002 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 161
Designating January as Virginia Mentoring Month.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 4, 2002
Agreed to by the Senate, February 28, 2002

WHEREAS, the future course of the Commonwealth rests on the shoulders of its youth, and educated, confident, and nurtured children will give rise to a stronger Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, mentoring is a proven, effective strategy to create these circumstances by matching a caring, responsible adult with a child to provide guidance and build confidence, stability, and direction for that child; and

WHEREAS, research has shown that mentoring has a definitive impact on young people by increasing attendance at school, improving rates of high school graduation and college attendance, and decreasing involvement with drugs, alcohol, and violent behaviors; and

WHEREAS, of the 1.1 million school-age children in the Commonwealth, only 20,000 of these children are in mentoring relationships, and many more children are on waiting lists for a mentor; and

WHEREAS, the federal government will establish January 2002 as National Mentoring Month to emphasize the importance of mentoring and recognize with praise and gratitude the many Americans already involved in mentoring; and

WHEREAS, the celebration of Mentoring Month would above all encourage more people to volunteer as mentors, to the benefit of the Commonwealth’s children; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly designate January as Virginia Mentoring Month; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly call upon the residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia and interested groups to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of and volunteer involvement with youth mentoring.