PRINTER'S NO. 16
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
16
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY HARHART, MILLARD, FREEMAN, SCHREIBER, BISHOP,
READSHAW, KNOWLES, BOBACK, VEREB, MACKENZIE, CALTAGIRONE,
COHEN, DiGIROLAMO, SCHWEYER, BIZZARRO, BAKER, DUSH, SONNEY,
KINSEY, C. PARKER, HENNESSEY, LONGIETTI, WHEATLEY, THOMAS,
KILLION, McNEILL, KIM, GRELL, SAYLOR, YOUNGBLOOD, O'NEILL,
D. COSTA, GOODMAN, GROVE, MARSICO, EMRICK, HAHN, MURT,
MATZIE, ROSS, WHEELAND, M. K. KELLER, DONATUCCI, GILLEN AND
McCARTER, JANUARY 21, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JANUARY 21, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of January 2015 as "National Mentoring
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring is a longstanding concept
in which a dependable adult provides guidance, support and
encouragement to facilitate a young person's social, emotional
and cognitive development; and
WHEREAS, High-quality, evidence-based mentoring promotes
positive outcomes for young people, including an increased sense
of industry and competency, a boost in academic performance and
self-esteem and improved social and communications skills; and
WHEREAS, Research shows that participation in a high-quality,
evidence-based mentoring relationship successfully reduces the
incidence of violence, delinquency, substance abuse and academic
failure in young people; and
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
WHEREAS, Research also shows that participation in a high-
quality, evidence-based mentoring relationship dramatically
reduces dependence on social services and results in a cost
benefit to the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring, in addition to being
beneficial for those being mentored, is also extremely rewarding
for those serving as mentors; and
WHEREAS, Quality programs that encourage young people to
learn about evidence-based mentoring and to become mentors, such
as programs that recruit high school students to mentor younger
children, are important and have the potential to create high-
quality mentors at an early age; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring relationships have grown
dramatically in the past 15 years, now reaching 12,000 young
Pennsylvanians, because of the remarkable creativity, vigor and
resourcefulness of evidence-based mentoring programs and
volunteer mentors in communities throughout this Commonwealth;
and
WHEREAS, In spite of the progress made to increase evidence-
based mentoring, this Commonwealth has a serious mentoring gap,
with thousands of young people currently in need of mentors; and
WHEREAS, A recent study confirmed that one of the most
critical challenges that evidence-based mentoring programs face
is recruiting enough mentors to help close the mentoring gap;
and
WHEREAS, The monthlong celebration of evidence-based
mentoring will encourage more individuals and organizations,
including schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith
institutions and foundations, to become engaged in evidence-
based mentoring across this Commonwealth; and
20150HR0016PN0016 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
WHEREAS, National Mentoring Month will build awareness of
evidence-based mentoring and recruit more individuals to become
mentors, thus helping to close our nation's mentoring gap;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of January 2015 as "National Mentoring Month," acknowledge
the diligent efforts of individuals and groups who promote
evidence-based mentoring and who are observing "National
Mentoring Month" with appropriate ceremonies and activities to
further promote awareness of and volunteer involvement with
youth mentoring, recognize with gratitude the contributions of
the millions of caring adults and students who are already
volunteering as mentors and encourage more adults and students
to volunteer as mentors.
20150HR0016PN0016 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14