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Mayor Mallory and the CYC Celebrate Completion of Mentoring Initiative Pilot Program
For Immediate Release ◊ August 17, 2006
Contact: Shannan Schmitt at (513) 475-4149
NEWS RELEASE
Mayor Mallory and the CYC Celebrate Completion of
Mentoring Initiative Pilot Program
Ceremony recognizes mentors, their mentees and community partners
Cincinnati – Mayor Mark Mallory and the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative celebrated the completion of the summer pilot program for the Mayor’s Mentoring Initiative at a ceremony recognizing the mentors and the mentees. Beginning May 30, twenty-two mentors and mentees participated in the summer pilot program.
“The pilot program has exceeded all expectations. We have built strong long-term relationships that will help kids reach their potential,” Mayor Mallory said. “City employees have seen first hand the powerful effect that they can have in the life of a young person.”
The pilot program exceeded its goal of 15 city employees mentors by recruiting 22 mentors. Many of the mentees shadowed their mentors at their city jobs. The pilot program also established a series of events over the summer that the mentors could attend with their mentees. Events included a weekly book discussion at the Clifton Recreation Center, a Cincinnati Reds Game, a day trip to Bengals training camp, the Beach Water Park, a trip to Coney Island, and two events at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
With the success of the pilot program, the Mayor’s Mentoring Initiative will be expanded with open enrollment for all city employees. The Mayor will be recruiting city employees to become part of the initiative and mentor city youth. Currently, Mayor Mallory’s Chief of Staff, Carla Walker, and his Community Liaison, Shawn Butler, both were mentors in the pilot program. Interested city employees will receive training from CYC and be placed with mentees throughout the school year. Open enrollment will be on-going, placing city employees with mentees as they volunteer. The Mentoring Initiative will continue to schedule activities for the mentors and mentees to attend.
The ceremony was held at The Lincoln Center in the West End. At the ceremony, each mentor and mentee was presented with a small gift for participating in the Mayor’s Mentoring Initiative pilot program. After the ceremony, a pizza and pool party was held for the mentors and mentees.
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