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2 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH <br /> WHEREAS, January 2021 marks the 19t" anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual <br /> campaign to focus attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us can work <br /> together to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for our young <br /> people; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County honors volunteer mentors who support young people by showing <br /> up for them and demonstrating their commitment to helping them thrive; and <br /> WHEREAS, mentoring programs such as MENTOR North Carolina make our communities and <br /> our state stronger by building meaningful relationships that increase social capital for young <br /> people and provide invaluable support networks; and <br /> WHEREAS, during the COVID-19 pandemic, mentoring programs have stepped up to fill gaps <br /> for young people and families, connecting them with resources and ensuring that mentoring <br /> relationships continue virtually to ensure social connection despite physical distancing; and <br /> WHEREAS, mentoring plays a pivotal role in career exploration and supports workplace skills <br /> by helping young people set career goals, equipping mentors with the skills needed to support <br /> the professional growth of young people, and driving positive outcomes for young people and <br /> businesses; and <br /> WHEREAS, quality mentoring promotes healthy relationships and communication, self-esteem, <br /> emotional growth and well-being for young people; and <br /> WHEREAS, students who meet regularly with their mentors are more than 52 percent less likely <br /> than their peers to skip a day of school, and youth who face an opportunity gap and have a <br /> mentor are 55 percent more likely to be enrolled in college than those who without a mentor; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46 percent less likely than their <br /> peers to start using drugs and 27 percent less likely to start drinking; and <br /> WHEREAS, almost half of adults today report having a mentor in their youth and those rates <br /> appear to have been rising steadily over the past several decades, and <br /> WHEREAS, National Mentoring Month is the time of year to celebrate and promote mentors, <br /> mentees and the mentoring movement; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County <br /> Commissioners does hereby proclaim January 2021 as National Mentoring Month in Orange <br /> County and encourages members of the community to elevate and encourage mentoring <br /> throughout our county, the state and the nation for the sake of our younger generations and the <br /> future. <br /> This the 19' day of January, 2021. <br /> Renee Price, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />