Some of the young folks attending our schools are not progressing as well as they could be. That’s true even though the educators at the Fort Dodge Community School District do an excellent job. Some young people, however, need a little more special attention than can easily be provided in a traditional classroom setting.

To address that need, the school district launched a mentoring program in 1994. The goal was to recruit people from a broad spectrum of the community to spend time each week working with students at one of the district’s elementary, middle or high schools. These adult mentors develop relationships with students that help motivate them to excel as they move through their academic journeys.

The need for more individuals to accept the challenge of being a mentor is ongoing. The professionals we hire to manage and staff our school system need community support and involvement if their educational mission is to be fulfilled optimally. There are many ways Fort Dodgers can help make this town’s public schools better. Stepping forward to volunteer as a mentor could be among the most important.

If you can help, call Corey Moody, Fort Dodge Community School District student services and case manager, at 574-5469 or email him at cmoody@fdschools.org.

The Messenger strongly supports this well-established mentoring project. We urge Fort Dodgers to help keep it successful in the years ahead.

Making sure that the young people who are the future of our town, state and nation take full advantage of their school years is truly important work.