IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 990 

Expressing support for designation of January 2010 as ‘‘National Mentoring 

Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 16, 2009 

Ms. MCCOLLUM (for herself, Mrs. DAVIS of California, and Mr. ROGERS of 

Michigan) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for designation of January 2010 as 

‘‘National Mentoring Month’’. 

Whereas mentoring is a longstanding tradition in which a dependable, caring adult provides guidance, support, and 

encouragement to facilitate a young person’s social, emotional, and cognitive development; 

Whereas continued research on mentoring shows that formal, 

high-quality mentoring focused on developing the competence and character of the mentee promotes positive 

outcomes, such as improved academic achievement, selfesteem, social skills, and career development; 

Whereas further research on mentoring provides strong evidence that mentoring successfully reduces substance use 

and abuse, academic failure, and delinquency; 


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2 

•HRES 990 IH 

Whereas mentoring, in addition to preparing young people for 

school, work, and life, is extremely rewarding for those 

serving as mentors; 

Whereas more than 4,700 mentoring programs in communities of all sizes across the United States focus on building strong, effective relationships between mentors and 

mentees; 

Whereas approximately 3,000,000 young people in the United 

States are in solid mentoring relationships due to the remarkable vigor, creativity, and resourcefulness of the 

thousands of mentoring programs in communities 

throughout the Nation; 

Whereas in spite of the progress made to increase mentoring, 

the United States has a serious ‘‘mentoring gap’’, with 

nearly 15,000,000 young people in need of mentors; 

Whereas mentoring partnerships between the public and private sectors bring State and local leaders together to support mentoring programs by preventing duplication of efforts, offering training in industry best practices, and 

making the most of limited resources to benefit young 

people in the United States; 

Whereas the designation of January 2010 as ‘‘National Mentoring Month’’ will help call attention to the critical role 

mentors play in helping young people realize their potential; 

Whereas a month-long celebration of mentoring will encourage more individuals and organizations, including schools, 

businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith institutions, 

and foundations, to become engaged in mentoring across 

the United States; and 


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•HRES 990 IH 

Whereas National Mentoring Month will, most significantly, 

build awareness of mentoring and encourage more people 

to become mentors and help close the mentoring gap in 

the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Men3 toring Month’’; 

4 (2) recognizes with gratitude the contributions 

5 of the millions of caring adults and students who are 

6 already volunteering as mentors and encourages 

7 more adults and students to volunteer as mentors; 

8 and 

9 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

10 to observe National Mentoring Month with appro11 priate ceremonies and activities that promote aware12 ness of, and volunteer involvement with, youth men13 toring. 

Æ 


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