Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
It's one thing to know there is a problem, but to actually do something about it requires commitment and dedication that goes beyond lip service. Volunteers from Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church and Revelation Missionary Baptist Church have teamed up with Reunion Organization to form the Madison Mentoring Program, which is busy doing something about improving the outlook and opportunities for students attending Madison County Central School (MCCS). Since November, approximately 20 kids have been meeting at the Smith Mansion on a weekly basis to improve their academics and to promote their social skills and approach to learning. At their recent meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4, students went right to work, improving their letter formations and handwriting. Adults and older students were quick to lend a helping hand to the younger kids.
Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Sim Alexander encouraged the kids to be mindful of others, showing respect for adults and kids alike. After further instructions about the importance of good conduct, Reunion Organization CEO Peter Stein emphasized to the students the importance of getting out of their comfort zones and being willing to fail. "Failure is part of learning and improving," said Stein. "We only fail when we don't learn from our mistakes."
All of the kids in this growing program were well-behaved and focused on improving their academics, which is an indicator that the mentoring is working. Improving the kids' desire to learn is one of the program's goals. "We can only teach those who are teachable," said Alexander. "The focus of teachers should be on academics, not dealing with behavior modification."
The current volunteers who are assisting in the program are: Revelation Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Octavious Tookes, Pearl Tookes, Karla Jones, Peter Stein, Gene McCall, Rev. Sim Alexander, Renea Alexander, Tyrone Brown and Phyllis Solomon. More volunteers are needed so that many more kids can benefit from the mentoring program. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, call Rev. Sim Alexander, at (850) 869-0251.