When people talk about mentoring, the discussion often focuses on the young people being served. But mentors will tell you that they also get something from these special relationships. Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)  shared her mentoring story with us.

“In Florida, I loved working with a young lady named Shakira. I started with her in the fourth grade and stayed with her for several years as her mentor. For an hour each week in the library, we would pore over math problems together, work on homework and prepare for tests, or simply talk about what was happening in school and in life.

“That hour with Shakira was one of the highlights of my week. And we became great buddies.

“In fact, on one visit to the White House on Valentine's Day, I delivered a handmade valentine from Shakira directly to President George W. Bush in the Oval Office – a valentine he signed and returned to her.

“To this day, I still hold dear a photo of the President with Shakira's valentine. It's a reminder of what a privilege it was to be part of her life, and to see her grow as a student and young lady over the years.

“There are millions of other children and young people who can benefit from the extra time, attention, and support of a caring mentor. President Obama has encouraged all Americans to spend time as a mentor. As he so eloquently put it, mentoring is a way to ‘help lift our next generation toward their hopes and dreams.'

“And I can assure you, based on my experience with Shakira, that as a mentor you get just as much as you give.”

January is National Mentoring Month, and Americans are encouraged to discover how mentoring can change lives and to thank those who have mentored them along the way. The Corporation for National and Community Service joins the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership to spearhead this annual effort.

Later this week, the National Mentoring Summit will take place in Washington, DC, drawing attendees from across the nation to share innovative program models, examine new research, and enhance the mentoring opportunities for young people. During the event, Spencer will launch the 2013 Corporate Mentoring Challenge that encourages companies to create or expand their mentoring opportunities or sponsor local programs.

To learn more about mentoring or how to get involved in your community, visit our Mentoring page.

Each new year draws millions to make resolutions designed to change their lives. And while the focus on self-improvement is fine, the arrival of National Mentoring Month gives us an opportunity to recognize men and women who channel their energy to helping and inspiring young people toward a brighter future.
 

John Urbigkit has service in his blood. He has volunteered as an EMT medic, Boy Scout leader and even earned a Purple Heart for his service in the Korean War. But it is his role as a Senior Corps volunteer with the Southeast Wyoming Foster Grandparent Program that earned this community hero a distinguished honor that brought him to Washington, DC.
 

We would all like to believe we control our own destiny. But experiences teach us we are sometimes shaped by forces outside ourselves: the opportunities we encounter, the people we meet, those who mentor us, and the communities that surround us. This is not to say that our paths are prescribed—but that we need the skills to recognize and seize opportunities that come our way.
 

America's young people have always been a particular passion of mine. Maybe it's because I have three children or perhaps it's because I work with a staff of young professionals who keep me thinking young. In working with young people, I've come to hold one truth above all: the youth of America have the power to change the world if we give them the tools, the mentorship, and the opportunity to do it.
 

Today, too many young people in America are struggling. More than a million students drop out of high school each year and one in every three do not graduate on time. The problem is even more severe among African American and Latino youth, and those from low-income backgrounds.
 

As one of the coordinators of the White House Mentorship Program I was moved by HandsOn Greater DC Cares' new initiative to encourage for-profit corporations to provide mentoring opportunities for under-served youth in the Greater D.C. Community. The organization demonstrates the importance of bringing public and private sectors to together to better serve our communities.
 

It's not often you'll catch professional baseball players tossing around water balloons. But on Tuesday, you would have seen just that – when New York Yankees players surprised the non-profit organization, Tuesday's Children at the Beekman Beach Club. The Yankees presented the organization with a $10,000 check and then took a water taxi to Yankee Stadium for the night's game against the Mariners, all part of the team's HOPE Week.