Bowl For Kids Sake 2012 – Mentoring Has An Impact [Stats]

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County and Bowl for Kids' Sake is here again!  If you haven't taken the opportunity to have a blast with friends and co-workers while helping kids in the Gallatin County have a better future, take advantage this year.  This program is important and uses funds raised by this event to make a better future for everyone.  The donations you raise could help match a youngster with a mentor that will change their lives forever.

Does mentoring have an impact on kids' lives? Yes. Granted we live in Bozeman MT so the results of some of these studies could be different had they been conducted here, but the results are conclusive, mentoring has an impact larger than you might understand.

1. A Pew Public/Private Ventures Study of 959 boys and girls.  60% members of a minority group, 60% boys, and 80% from low income households.  487 were matched with mentors. 472 were the control group with no mentors. After 18 months with mentors, an evaluation of these children revealed the boys and girls were:

• 46 % less likely to use illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to use alcohol
• 37% less likely to skip class
• 53% less likely to skip school
• 33% less likely to hit someone

2. Proctor and Gamble lead a study of mentoring in Cincinnati schools.  This showed that young people with mentors were more likely to:

• Stay in school
• Attend classes
• Be less disruptive when attending class
• Get better grades
• Go to college

3. A Ford Foundation study of high school students from families receiving public assistance found that those with mentors were more likely than those without mentors to:

• Graduate from high school
• Enroll in college
• Have fewer children
• Have fewer arrests
• Live without public assistance
• Become involved in community service
• Be hopeful about their future

4. California Mentor Foundation surveyed 124 mentor programs with 36,251 mentors and 57,659 mentees.  The survey showed that:

• 98% stayed in school
• 85% did not use drugs
• 98% Deterred from teen pregnancy
• 98% Did not join a gang

Think back to when you were a young kid, did you have someone that you looked up to? That you learned lessons from?  Maybe some of those lessons where good ones...but may be there where a few that taught you something not so good?  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Gallatin County strives to make sure that kids have someone in their lives that are positive.  That's where you can help.  Bowl for Kids sake is how.  Your only obligation is to raise $100. That's it. 5 family members willing to give $20. It could change the life of a youngster.  If you think you'd like to help, just go to the BBBS website and sign up.

stats via beamentor.org