By Michelle Price
UCBJ Managing Editor
Updated – Many counties are still in need of TN Promise mentors. An updated chart showing the locations of the 67 needed mentors remaining is below.
UPPER CUMBERLAND – A majority of the school systems across the Upper Cumberland are still in need of TN Promise mentors with the Nov. 30 deadline to apply rapidly approaching. There are 108 mentors needed across the region. Putnam County still needs 25. Only three counties, Cannon, Pickett and Van Buren, have recruited enough mentors for this year.
“More than 31 percent of our mentors come from the business community, and we understand the incredible value that provides to our students,” said Graham Thomas, TN Achieves deputy director of partnerships. “Mentors can help open doors and provide insights to careers students never even knew existed.”
Mentors work on a volunteer basis to help high school seniors navigate the TN Promise requirements and college life.
“We are looking for anyone interested in making a difference in their community,” said Ben Sterling, TN Achieves director of outreach. “There is no educational requirement. If you are at least 21 years old and interested in seeing more people in your community go to college, this is a good way to get involved with that.”
The response has greatly varied across the Upper Cumberland from the three counties that have completed their goal to Overton County which, at only 50 percent of its goal, still needs 16 more mentors.
Counties that have almost reached their goal include Cumberland that only needs one and DeKalb that needs two more mentors.
“TN Achieves mentors only spend about one hour per month reminding students of important deadlines, serving as a trusted family resource and, most importantly, encouraging students to reach their full potential,” added Thomas. “While the time commitment is small, the impact can be life changing for a first-generation college student!”
Tennessee Promise, a last-dollar scholarship program, requires each student to have contact with a mentor.
For more information on mentoring or to apply, see www.tnachieves.org.
County | Number of mentors still needed | Percent of goal achieved |
Cannon | 0 | 100 |
Clay | 3 | 70 |
Cumberland | 0 | 100 |
DeKalb | 0 | 100 |
Fentress | 8 | 72 |
Jackson | 3 | 80 |
Macon | 11 | 72 |
Overton | 10 | 69 |
Pickett | 0 | 100 |
Putnam | 18 | 80 |
Smith | 3 | 89 |
Van Buren | 0 | 100 |
Warren | 10 | 86 |
White | 1 | 98 |
Total Needed | 67 |