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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH <br /> WHEREAS , January 2021 marks the 19th 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 19th day of January , 2021 . <br /> Renee Price , Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />