One-on-one relationships — the foundation of the national organization, Kids Hope USA.
The organization partners churches across the country with local elementary and middle schools to offer positive, consistent mentorship for children. Kids Hope mentors meet for one hour each week to spend time with their designated mentee.
Near Taylor, Upland Community Church (UCC) partners with Eastbrook South Elementary School. Kids Hope mentors in the area must either be members of UCC or students at Taylor.
Megan Wetzel, Kids Hope director at Upland Community Church, explained that great impact comes from consistently maintaining a positive relationship with a child.
”The norm for a lot of these kids is so different than what we're giving them,” Wetzel said. “And so we can truly be lights to them and show them a difference by just showing up every week because lots of these kids don't have faithful people in their lives.”
As a former elementary school teacher and current substitute teacher at Eastbrook, Wetzel has been able to utilize her teaching background and history of mentoring to passionately run the Upland Kids Hope chapter.
Wetzel reaches out to Eastbrook teachers each spring, asking them to recommend students for the program. Reasons students are recommended vary greatly but may include academic or home struggles, foster care, the need for a friend or parental issues.
“So, really, any and all students could benefit (from the program)," she said.
A core aspect of Wetzel’s job involves recruiting mentors each fall. UCC’s close connection with Taylor aids the recruitment of Taylor mentors. She has also found the student announcements to be a valuable recruiting tool.
Each fall, mentors apply to the program through a one-on-one interview with Wetzel then complete online and in-person training sessions.
The next step is for Wetzel to prayerfully match students with mentors.
“I've learned about my mentors through the interview process and through the training process, and I learn a little bit about the students based on the form that the teachers or counselor have to fill out,” Wetzel said.
After matching each mentor with a student, Wetzel connects with mentors to schedule their one-hour weekly meeting time with their mentee.
From there, a mentor arrives at Eastbrook each week and plays games, does crafts, chats or helps their mentee with homework. Mentors and mentees can access games and craft supplies from a designated Kids Hope resource cabinet at the school. After their hour is up, mentors complete a weekly form where they can share memories and concerns from the day.
This year, a total of 29 mentors are in the program, 17 of them being Taylor students.
Sophomore Winter Nottingham began mentoring with Kids Hope this past fall. Originally unsure of the impact she could have on a young student, she appreciated Wetzel’s reassurance that the best possible thing she can do as a mentor is to show up each week.
“The thing that they need the most is a steady figure,” Nottingham said. “It was helpful for me to learn that I could just be myself, and the Lord will do the rest.”
Sophomore Hannah Learned heard about Kids Hope through some friends who volunteered as mentors.
The organization’s mission of building relationships with students to offer care, support and encouragement to young students resonated with Learned and contributed to her desire to begin mentoring.
“One sweet memory with my student was getting to celebrate her birthday during our time together!” Learned said. “She had lots of games and activities planned for our time together and was so excited to tell me all about her plans for the rest of her birthday.”
Wetzel appreciates Taylor students like Nottingham and Learned’s commitment to the program.
She encourages students to consider Kids Hope as a low commitment way to get involved in the local Upland community.
“I have had mentors say to me that they love how Kids Hope is a way that they can get involved in the community in a manageable amount of time — because it's only a commitment of one hour every week,” Wetzel said.
Kids Hope is always on the lookout for more mentors.
Due to the high volume of children suggested into the program, she is typically unable to match every recommended student with a mentor.
“If (Taylor students) are interested, be on the lookout for an email at the beginning of (next) fall and in the daily announcements,” Wetzel said.
She also encourages students to reach out to current Kids Hope mentors to learn more about their experiences.
Wetzel typically requires mentors to begin in the fall so they can commit to at least one year. This commitment is reflected by the organization’s value of faithfulness.
"I think just the positive, faithful interaction each week makes a difference,” she said. “Mentors will say, ‘What qualifications do I need?’ or sometimes they don’t feel adequate, and I just tell them faithfulness and showing up every week are all that you need to make a positive impact.”
