Mentees Show Gratitude Toward TeamMates

Rewarding Experience For Mentors And Mentees
By: Julia, Clearwater Public School

​TeamMates is a program created by Tom Osborne with the goal to positively impact the world by inspiring the youth to reach their full potential through mentoring. Adult mentors meet with student mentees once a week seeking to motivate kids. The Clearwater-Orchard Teammates Chapter has 65 pairs that meet regularly from the two schools, and we sat down with a few mentees and mentors to get their thoughts on TeamMates.

Mentees said they spend a lot of time talking to their mentor, but the pairs play lots of games as well, which seems to be a common favorite. The kids expressed joy when it came to getting to meet regularly, play games, and laugh together, but all agreed that the best part is just having a relationship with someone who cares about you.

The mentees that choose to continue in the program year after year were asked what kept them wanting to stay in it.

Seventh grader, Harper responded by saying, “Meeting with Stacy is so much fun that I don’t want to miss it.” The pair does different projects and activities, but they have had the most laughs in ping pong. Freshman Rafe emphasized that “the relationship [he has] with [his] mentor” is a primary reason that he stays involved with the program. Sophomore Jackie said that she loves “having fun with Kala” during their Wednesday meetings. Senior Tyler explained, “I stay in it because it is fun talking with [my mentor]  because we laugh. We have lots of fun.”

Even though TeamMates was created to influence young people, it also affects the adults who mentor. We asked some of the mentors to tell us some things they had learned from their mentee. The responses ranged from things like: “the versatility of a 3D printer” and “there really are people in the world that don’t like cheese” to “there is always much more going on in someone’s life than you can see from the outside” and “mentoring can be a lot of fun.”

Not only do kids choose to stay in TeamMates, but adults choose to as well. Mentors stay involved because it is a positive, enjoyable experience.

Stacy Long said, “It has proven to be very rewarding.” Another mentor, Greg Walmer, said that what keeps him invested in the program is “the opportunity to have a positive impact.” Kala Kruger stated, “I stay in TeamMates because I can see the difference it makes in the student’s life and how much she enjoys the time we hang out.” The reason that Mentor Troy Watson stays in TeamMates is the opportunity to serve. He said, “It’s satisfying to offer a little time for the sake of being a positive influence.”

We, as mentees, appreciate every minute of time that our mentors give for us. They push us to do better and give us a positive role model to look up to in our crazy, busy, confusing teenage lives.

Troy Watson stated what we believe is true for most mentors: “The people that did the same for me over the years, are the ones that I appreciate the most in my life.”

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TeamMates Fueling The Fire Of Determination
By: Nalleli, Orchard Public School

Throughout our lives we will go through many journeys. Some big and some small, but we never do it alone. Something or someone is always there fueling the fire of determination to move forward. Often time these people are the ones we will remember for the rest of our lives. Although we do not always have to go through this huge journey in order to find someone we trust and care about. Some find these people by chance and others from other people, but there are the select few that got brought together by a person who wants to build a community.

There is a little known community in the schools between few adults and many students. This community is from the Teammates program. Now if you did not know what the TeamMates program is, let me tell you a little about the history and just how TeamMates came to our schools.

The program itself has been active since 1991 and was created by Tom and Nancy Osborne. The program branched to Clearwater and Orchard schools back in 2014 and although the program is very young it has helped and affected many students and community members.

Teammates was brought to our community by Diane and Dale Martin after seeing  an opportunity for a stronger bond between the kids and adults. The Martins had been fostering kids for several years, but wanted to bring something that would benefit more than one kid at a time. The Martins have always been very helpful and amazing people not to mention they are very humble. Despite how many times Mrs. Martin told me not to have the attention put on her or her spouse there is no way for us mentees not to all thank her for bringing this wonderful program into our lives.

There are so many impacts and amazing things happening that would have never happened without them bringing this amazing program to our school. We not only want to thank the Martins,but also to teammates board who help run the TeamMates program. This month we are going to show our appreciation for what the mentors do for us.  

Many may say that taking thirty minutes out of your week is not a big deal, especially considering some people work fifteen hours in a day. The thing they do not realize is sometimes those thirty to forty-five minutes are the best times in a child's week. From personal experience, I have had those days where all I want to do is go home and forget how my week has gone, but after going to TeamMates and just having that alone time with my mentor is the best thing I could have done. I am very grateful for my mentor and everything she does for me, yet I do not know how to express this feeling to her. That is why the TeamMates program does that for us.

January is National Mentor Month where we give back and say thank you to all those people who allow us to branch into their lives and support us to be our own individual. I have been in TeamMates for three years now and never once have I regretted it. Schedule changes and complications come into play, but somehow we always manage to find a time to meet. This is why I believe that everyone should at least try TeamMates. Not everyone will like it, but if you give it a chance, I am sure you will learn a thing or two about how much it means to have someone who is there for me. Thank you to all the mentors who allow me and others like me to enjoy such a wonderful program. Anyone can be a mentor, but few know that.

The main reason people do not try new things is because they do not think that they are “fit” to do it. Well here is what I have to say to everyone who thinks they are “not fit” to be a mentor. Mentors are not carefully selected people the school is using to improve its image. You do not have to have gone through a long hard journey to be a TeamMate. They are not putting the students through cookie cutter molds to shape them into astounding beings to make them look good.. No, they are people who have the patience to sit and listen and make a student feel safe and at home.

Any adult that has experienced life and has the patience to sit with a child and watch them develop and grow is a perfect mentor. Kids are not looking for someone who is perfect in every way nor are we looking for someone to always look up to as a hero. Mentees just want to know that there are people that will love and support them outside of their home. This is the blissful feeling of knowing that someone is there for you to build a relationship that will last a lifetime. With that I just am happy to ask for you to join the program as well.

We still have several kids on the waiting list to find a mentor. Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and let a child into your life. Once a week for thirty to forty-five minutes a week can make such a big difference in a child's life. This costs no money to you, just time. We’d not only like to encourage the public to get involved, but also to thank everyone that already has dedicated their time to a mentee.

Thank you TeamMates mentors for everything you have done for us. Some of us will take you for granted, but we do greatly appreciate everything you do. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Martin for bringing this amazing program into our lives and letting us have such wonderful experiences and bonds.

If you would like to become a mentor, please contact either the Clearwater or Orchard school, speak to a TeamMates board member or contact  Diane Martin at 402-893-5403. Thank you again for helping me realize how much just one person can affect someone's life.

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CLEARWATER-ORCHARD TEAMMATES MENTORS

Kara Ahlers
Jacob Birch
Janice Bolling
Morgan Buckendahl
Dana Cheatum
Rachael Cheatum
Shayna Cleveland
Stephanie Cleveland
Kami Dickerson
Kyle Erb
Laney Ferguson
Virginia Filsinger
Brittney Finch
Randy Finch
Sally Finch
Liz Fuchtman
Melanie Funk
Josh Gray
Mark Hoffman
Karley Jackson

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Bill Kester
Teresa Kester
Sarah Kesting
Chantel King
Kala Kruger
Tami Kuhfal
Alan Leiding
Scott Leisy
Stacy Long
Dale Martin
Diane Martin
Ted Meyer
Larry Mieras
Bonnie Mitchell
Shelly Mlnarik
Sandy Mosel
Sandy Moser
Jaord Nolze
Elizabeth Odell
Mike Odell

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Barb Schwager
Cheri Schwager
Deb Schwager
Amanda Shabram
Jeff Shabram
Kendra Shrader
Lynae Stelling
Shelly Strope
Anita Tabbert
Tony Tabbert
Jim Thiele
Morgan Thiele
Chris Twibell
Brandi VanOstrand
Greg Walmer
Sue Walmer
Kate Watson
Troy Watson
Lila Wondercheck

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