SENATE MEMORIAL 4

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Gay G. Kernan

A MEMORIAL

DECLARING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 24, 2011 THROUGH JANUARY 30, 2011 AS "NEW MEXICO MENTORSHIP WEEK" IN THE NEW MEXICO SENATE.

     WHEREAS, sustained relationships with caring adults are among the most important success factors in a child's life; and

     WHEREAS, according to Public/Private Ventures, an independent, national research organization, children matched with big brothers big sisters are forty-six percent less likely to start using illegal drugs, twenty-seven percent less likely to start using alcohol, fifty-two percent less likely to skip a day of school and thirty-three percent less likely to hit someone or get in a fight and are more trusting of parents or guardians and less likely to lie to them; and

     WHEREAS, it is estimated that over three thousand two hundred children were matched with caring adult mentors in 2009 throughout New Mexico, and thousands more are in need of services each year; and

     WHEREAS, according to the Annie E. Casey foundation, society realizes ten dollars ($10.00) in benefits for every one dollar ($1.00) invested in the mentoring of one youth; and

     WHEREAS, many mentoring programs exist in New Mexico, including several regional chapters of big brothers big sisters; numerous programs sponsored by the university of New Mexico mentoring institute; the New Mexico youth challenge academy, sponsored by the New Mexico army national guard; the national Indian youth leadership program; and more; and

     WHEREAS, youth and adult volunteers need greater access to information about these programs so that they can be better utilized by youth and so that more adults will volunteer as mentors; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico first hosted town hall sessions during May and June of 2010 titled Raising the Aspirations of New Mexico Youth, at which three hundred participants from all four regions of the state recognized the importance of adult role models and mentors for youth; and

     WHEREAS, the findings of these town hall sessions support the need to create comprehensive mentoring programs within regions, communities and schools so that each student's unique needs can be addressed; and

     WHEREAS, January is national mentoring month, during which all public officials, business and community leaders, educators and Americans across the country are encouraged to recognize the importance of mentoring; and

     WHEREAS, declaring the week of January 24, 2011 through January 30, 2011 as "New Mexico Mentorship Week" in the New Mexico senate provides an opportunity to focus on and pursue the proposed actions and priorities identified in the aforementioned New Mexico first town hall sessions;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the week of January 24, 2011 through January 30, 2011 be declared "New Mexico Mentorship Week" in the New Mexico senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor and to all members of the New Mexico senate.

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