LAUREL — His job as area manager of CenterPoint Energy is challenging and keeps Laurel resident Charlie Williams quite busy. But Williams is not too busy to mentor a child in the Laurel School District.
For about a year and a half, the local businessman has participated in a mentoring program sponsored by the Safe Schools/Heathy Students Mentoring program. In 2009, mentoring coordinator Johnnice Ulmer honored Williams as C.H.A.M.P.S. “Mentor of the Year.”
C.H.A.M.P.S. is an acronym for Changing Hearts, Attitudes and Minds for Personal Success, a mentoring program for boys. C.H.A.M.P.S. and Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Self (S.T.A.R.S.) for girls. The mentoring program is a part of the Lawrence County and Laurel school districts’ Safe Schools/Healthy Students Project.
According to Ulmer, the goal of the project, which is a collaborative effort of the two school districts, is to bring character education, parenting skills enhancement to early childhood parents, and mentoring to students and families. The project is sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Education and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ulmer said she appreciates Williams and other mentors who commit to spending quality time with their mentees. She encourages all mentors to meet with their mentees at least once or twice a week.
“We want them to be there to listen and be a positive influence in the lives of these children,” she said. “You will never really know how much it means to these children.”
Williams said he became a mentor after a friend asked him about getting involved with the program. He has volunteered ever since.
“I think it is a great program,” said Williams. “I encourage anybody who has time to get involved. It doesn’t take much time to make a difference in the life of a child.”
Because of his commitment and dedication, he has an award that sits on his desk at his office on Beacon Street near downtown Laurel. Williams said he was surprised to get an award for something he “enjoys so much.”
“I’m mentoring a 12-year-old boy right now,” explained Williams. “When we first started, he was 11.”
When he first became the boy’s mentor, Williams said there was very little communication between the two. “When I asked him a question, he would answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and that was about the extent of our conversation,” he said. “I decided to take him out to share some of what I do and enjoy.”
An avid golf fan, one of the first places Williams took his mentee was to the driving range to hit a few balls. “I taught him how to hit the ball, the different techniques of golf and other things,” said Williams. “It was a new experience for him and he seemed to enjoy it very much.
“Now sometimes we get together for a round of golf that sometimes takes as much as four hours. And then sometimes I pick up a phone and spend as little as five minutes in conversation, just to see how he is progressing in school or how things are going.”
Williams said it means a lot to the mentees when someone picks up a phone and ask “How are you doing?” or “Is there anything I can help you with today?”
Williams and other mentors are not there to replace parents. They are there to support both the parents and children they mentor. Ulmer said that most of all mentors are there to build a relationship that helps youth feel supported and safe, develop self-confidence and self-esteem, and see new possibilities in life.
“We still need mentors,” said Ulmer. “All people have to do is contact us and let us know they are interested.”
The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Mentoring program is providing mentoring training at 5:30 p.m. December 7 in Suite D17 at the Sawmill Square Mall. A light dinner will be served. Please call Johnnice Ulmer at 601-455-5038 or e-mail her at julmer@lawrence.k12.ms.us to register.
For about a year and a half, the local businessman has participated in a mentoring program sponsored by the Safe Schools/Heathy Students Mentoring program. In 2009, mentoring coordinator Johnnice Ulmer honored Williams as C.H.A.M.P.S. “Mentor of the Year.”
C.H.A.M.P.S. is an acronym for Changing Hearts, Attitudes and Minds for Personal Success, a mentoring program for boys. C.H.A.M.P.S. and Striving Toward Awareness and Respect for Self (S.T.A.R.S.) for girls. The mentoring program is a part of the Lawrence County and Laurel school districts’ Safe Schools/Healthy Students Project.
According to Ulmer, the goal of the project, which is a collaborative effort of the two school districts, is to bring character education, parenting skills enhancement to early childhood parents, and mentoring to students and families. The project is sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Education and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Ulmer said she appreciates Williams and other mentors who commit to spending quality time with their mentees. She encourages all mentors to meet with their mentees at least once or twice a week.
“We want them to be there to listen and be a positive influence in the lives of these children,” she said. “You will never really know how much it means to these children.”
Williams said he became a mentor after a friend asked him about getting involved with the program. He has volunteered ever since.
“I think it is a great program,” said Williams. “I encourage anybody who has time to get involved. It doesn’t take much time to make a difference in the life of a child.”
Because of his commitment and dedication, he has an award that sits on his desk at his office on Beacon Street near downtown Laurel. Williams said he was surprised to get an award for something he “enjoys so much.”
“I’m mentoring a 12-year-old boy right now,” explained Williams. “When we first started, he was 11.”
When he first became the boy’s mentor, Williams said there was very little communication between the two. “When I asked him a question, he would answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and that was about the extent of our conversation,” he said. “I decided to take him out to share some of what I do and enjoy.”
An avid golf fan, one of the first places Williams took his mentee was to the driving range to hit a few balls. “I taught him how to hit the ball, the different techniques of golf and other things,” said Williams. “It was a new experience for him and he seemed to enjoy it very much.
“Now sometimes we get together for a round of golf that sometimes takes as much as four hours. And then sometimes I pick up a phone and spend as little as five minutes in conversation, just to see how he is progressing in school or how things are going.”
Williams said it means a lot to the mentees when someone picks up a phone and ask “How are you doing?” or “Is there anything I can help you with today?”
Williams and other mentors are not there to replace parents. They are there to support both the parents and children they mentor. Ulmer said that most of all mentors are there to build a relationship that helps youth feel supported and safe, develop self-confidence and self-esteem, and see new possibilities in life.
“We still need mentors,” said Ulmer. “All people have to do is contact us and let us know they are interested.”
The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Mentoring program is providing mentoring training at 5:30 p.m. December 7 in Suite D17 at the Sawmill Square Mall. A light dinner will be served. Please call Johnnice Ulmer at 601-455-5038 or e-mail her at julmer@lawrence.k12.ms.us to register.