Gilmer County Schools is looking for more mentors to help develop high school student’s soft skills and inspire them to reach their goals.
Gilmer County Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley spoke on their need for mentors and answered questions at a Gilmer citizens forum Saturday morning, March 15, at the American Legion in Ellijay.
Organizers plan the monthly forum in an effort to allow residents to hear from public officials and stay up-to-date on what’s impacting the community.
Gilmer has two mentorship programs for high schoolers including CORE and REACH. CORE was started in 2019, and has served nearly 300 students. This program is a shorter time commitment for volunteers.
“You could be a CORE mentor for a year, or however long you are able to, we’ll take it,” Ridley said. “We just appreciate the help.”
The REACH program is offered through the state and requires school districts to invest to qualify for it, where Gilmer is able to use some of their charter funds to participate.
Students from low-income families are selected for the program as eighth graders, based on their academic potential, attendance, behavior and parental commitment. Each participant is paired with a mentor through the entirety of the four years they’re in high school, making this a longer time commitment for volunteers.
Once students complete the mentorship program, the state awards them a $10,000 scholarship to attend a Georgia institution. Ridley noted that while four to six students are selected for the program each year, they do not all meet the necessary grade requirements by graduation to receive the scholarship.
“It can be transformational for some students who really don’t have the resources to go to college,” he added. “If they do make it [and get the scholarship], that shows their commitment to the program and finishing. Once they get to school, they have a very high success rate, we’re very proud of them.”
He expressed that as a retirement community, successful and accomplished people from all over the world move to the county to retire, and students can tap into that knowledge through mentorship.
“They’re people who still want to contribute and give back to the community that they love,” Ridley said. “That is a wonderful, wonderful advantage for us.”
Forum attendees asked what age and skill sets Gilmer is looking for in mentors. Ridley answered any age and any skills.
“The number one need for kids today is soft skills,” he mentioned. “Their interaction with a mentor, learning how to interact with an adult without a screen and have a conversation, is transformational, because this is not something that is just known anymore.”
GHS senior class president Logan Mashburn is in the CORE mentorship program, and was at the citizens forum to help answer questions. He explained how mentors are paired with students based on their future goals.
“They try to connect you to somebody that’s been in the field that you are looking to be in and on that path, so they help you in multiple ways,” Mashburn said.
He added that students can switch mentors as they see fit, if their desired career path changes, but the mentorship is mainly focused on building a one-on-one relationship.
Ridley clarified how much time mentors should expect to dedicate to the programs, where the minimum requirement is meeting with the student once a month. That can either be during a scheduled lunch period during the school day or off campus.
Mashburn added that each student and their mentor can decide how often they want to meet up. He said he and his mentor went on a hike recently. This is another reason why retirees are wanted for the mentorship programs, because their schedules can be more flexible.
The GCSS College and Career Academy is also always looking for volunteers with expertise in a certain industry that can help students with their career development. If business owners can’t commit time to mentoring, Ridley mentioned that hiring students through their work-based learning program is another way to lift up the future of the county.
As a foster kid himself, Gilmer resident Bill Walters, shared his passion for helping them and asked Ridley how best to reach those in foster care. Ridley answered that foster kids are prioritized through the REACH program.
On the topic of students coming from different backgrounds and struggles, Ridley said, “That’s why we need the public education system to ensure that every child, no matter what kind of home they come from, gets the basics so they can go out and have the opportunity to be successful [in the workforce]. We can’t guarantee an equal outcome, but we have to guarantee an equal opportunity.”
Walters informed those in attendance about Mountain Mayhem, a pickleball tournament fundraiser during the last weekend of May in Ellijay, that benefits the Appalachian Court Appointed Special Advocates for Foster Children. People can register for the event at southernpickleball.com.
“Education is about relationships, so we encourage our teachers to build those relationships with students so they can not only embrace their soft skills … but also feel like somebody wants them there when they come to school, because a lot of them don’t feel like anybody wants them there when they go home,” Ridley voiced.
Those interested in becoming a mentor can call the district office at 706-276-5000. A background check is required.
The next Gilmer citizens forum meeting will be April 19, with organizers working to have Sen. Steve Gooch come speak at the American Legion. Gilmer Planning and Zoning Director Jim Smith will be speaking on May 17.