Community Youth Concepts is proud to celebrate National Mentoring Month this January and we would like to recognize our life- changing mentors who give their time through our Mentor Advantage Program, or better known as MAP. Mentoring, when done right, has been shown to give young people the tools necessary to make responsible decisions and avoid risky behavior. The mentoring effect can be a powerful factor in reducing the number of youth disconnected from school and work, in increasing social and economic mobility, and in creating more productive and prosperous communities.
MAP is designed to connect students ages 12-17 with mentors in their career field of interest, to build 21st century career-readiness skills, improve academics, and provide support to guide them towards their future success. Students are matched with one adult who shares their passions and can expose them to new and exciting career opportunities.
CYC would not be where it is today without the immense help of our volunteers who share their talents with our students. One of our mentees shared that “without (my) mentor, I never would have thought about going to college. She showed me how I can schedule my classes around my work schedule and still graduate on time. “
People who volunteer as a mentor will often tell you they feel rewarded by being someone who matters. They say they have learned a lot about themselves, and feel an improvement in their self-esteem, confidence and communication skills. If you are excited about changing the life of a young person in your community, please contact Kelsey Tyrrell at kelsey@cyconcepts.org and join the list of inspiring mentors making a difference in Central Iowa!
Thank you to our current mentors for making the difference!
Tom Cameron                       Jesse Johnston            Ellie Brown
Catherine Knepper              Megan Ronnenberg       Claire Steinbronn
Spencer Cady             Gen Scholtes             Bailey Starner
Clark Colby                           Kellie Staiert             Kristina McCormick
Kristen Greteman                Michael Lewis            Leslie Jasper
Brent Van Hauen                 Stacie Jones             Stephanie Brewer
Adrienne Parker                  Amanda Thys             Jenna Ekstrom
Jessica Lancial            Rose Freymark           Brady Potthoff
Hannah Stonewall         Ken Tyrrell              Jered Headrick
Alyssa Ivankovich         Jared Klimowski         Betsy Koshy
Julia LoVan              Kayla Kienzle             Don Guarino
Melanie Thwing           Rita Stevens             Ralph Van Dyke
John Robinson           Paige Peterson            Jody White               Â
