Arizonans for Children

         Tutor/Mentors (Arizona, Maricopa County) Arizonans for Children: Volunteers needed for Tutor/Mentor Program Duties: Take the lead in supporting a young person through an ongoing one to one relationship. Serve as a positive role model and friend. Build the relationship by planning and participating in activities together. Strive for mutual respect. Build self esteem and motivation. Help set goals and work toward accomplishing them. Assist your mentee in developing academic and behavioral goals and setting rewards for the achievement of those goals Population served: Youths in foster care in Maricopa County. Currently there are 13,400 youths in care in Arizona and almost 7,000 in Maricopa County. Community need/impact: This role will help break the cycle of poverty and abuse. By working with a child one to one, you will improve their chances of successful education, encourage goal setting and help to change their lives and the lives of those connected ...

I asked my mentees last week if they wanted to go peach picking on Sunday with my wife and I, one of our annual traditions we try to do every year. I let them know that we would have to pick them up early that morning to get a head start on the hot weather. They agreed. Spontaneously I decided to go fishing Friday evening. I called the group home and asked if the home had any plans/activities and if my 2 mentees wanted to go with me. They both were eager to get out of the house for a few hours on a Friday night to go fishing. We tried canal “A” and after a while gave up on it and tried the other side of the overpass on canal “A”. We managed to get a few bites, which was exciting for the boys, even though there were no significant tugs on the line. We then decided to try this other canal spot I recently caught a few at. They managed to get a few more hits and then we finished the night with not one of us landing a catfish. Kind of a let down…I’ve been wanting...