Mentors honored at annual brunch

Adult and Hi-Teen mentors of the Fayette County Public School System’s Friends Mentoring Program were honored for their service to students at the eighth annual Friends Mentoring Appreciation Brunch held April 15 at the LaFayette Educational Center.

Approximately 50 adult and teen mentors attended the brunch. Among them were two Fayette County Board of Education members, chairwoman Marion Key and Leonard Presberg. Key was one of the founding members of the program that began over 20 years ago. Presberg is a participating mentor in the program, and currently mentors two students.  

Brigadier General (Ret.) Scott Donahue, executive director of the Georgia Military College’s Fayetteville campus, was the keynote speaker. Servant leadership was the focus of his message.

“We have come together today to recognize Fayette County’s mentors and to celebrate over 40 years of the national mentoring program, as well as to draw strength and courage from one another,” he said in his opening remarks.

The brunch concluded with a special video featuring “thank you” messages from students to their mentors.

Mentors work one-on-one with students one hour each week for a complete school year; no teaching or counseling experience is needed. Anyone interested in becoming a mentor can get more information at www.friendsmentoring.org.