Polk UMC brings games for High Plains mentors
The High Plains Community Schools’ TeamMates chapter hosted a lunch for mentees, their mentors and members of the Polk United Methodist Church as a thanks for the church’s $2,000 donation to the program Thursday afternoon.
The donation was in part to a project led by grant writer Karen Stevens, the chairman of the church’s leadership board, alongside PUMC members Pastor Duncan Ibuuri, Sharon Johnson and Audrey Samuelson.
“The overall title for this project is ‘Gifts from the Heart,’” Stevens stated. “We are giving rather than receiving. Our mission for the projects that we have chosen is to go into the community as followers and disciples of Christ.”
Gifts from the Heart was first used this year by the church for the village of Polk by paying a portion of the utility bill for residents who were struggling to pay it. PUMC provided money for games for Polk’s senior center, followed by giving funding for TeamMates.
“I have friends who are mentors and the comment was made just in conversation that their games were getting worn out,” Stevens explained. “The fact they pay the $250 membership fee each year and that they have to spend money to do background checks, that was brought to my attention.”
In addition to the money gifted to the mentors to help pay for their membership fees, the $45 background checks and to replace the games used by TeamMates, they also bought two cornhole sets for the mentees to use.
TeamMates coordinator, Karen Benner, commented that PUMC’s donation was greatly appreciated by the program as they continue to provide support for students who are seeking guidance.
“COVID was a killer for a whole bunch of stuff and one those was the kids’ involvement,” Benner explained.
Gaining a boost from PUMC to support the 18 students in grades 4-12, the coordinator said it was a push in the right direction to help improve the program.
“Even though our school supported us coming, there were a lot of people who were hesitant to come in,” Benner commented. “It’s been really hard to reconnect with those people, but we’re finally up and rolling again.”
Alongside the other chapters within Nebraska, Benner explained that HPC TeamMates provides students with their own mentor who will help students recognize their potential and provide the support they need to strive for it.
“High Plains Community TeamMates got started in the fall of 2016 with the strong support from the school administration,” Benner said. “Everyone deserves to have a mentor in his or her life and we like to view it as personal cheerleaders for the kiddos.”
One of HPC’s mentees attested to the program’s mission.
“It’s a really great program and I kind of wish I knew about it sooner,” they commented. “It should be out there, because it’s more than what people just think, it’s actually an opportunity to make a connection that you’ll probably have for the rest of your life.”
Another student expressed appreciation for the time they had with their mentor and the support they have given them.
“I wouldn’t say I’m shy with new people, but opening up and talking about my personal life is pretty challenging,” she explained. “Having someone who you know won’t go and tell everything is pretty comforting.”
A third mentee commented that they appreciated having a mentor who they could talk to outside of their parents and teachers.
“Sometimes with parents it’s just in one ear and out the other,” the mentee said. “It’s just nice to have someone at the school who can come in and they can help you with whatever you need or just give you advice that can be a confidence booster sometimes.”
With the mentors and mentees trying out the new games, Stevens commented that PUMC was happy to provide more support for the program should TeamMates need it.
“I encouraged them if there were other games or things they wanted us to possibly purchase for them to use while they’re spending their hour a week with their mentor that they need to let us know,” Stevens said. “We certainly want to encourage the program as well as support the program in any way we can.”
With the financial aid provided by PUMC, Benner said it will help coordinators focus on other needs for the program, such as providing scholarships for mentees after they graduate from High Plains.
“On Feb. 3, when HPC plays Cross County at HPC in basketball, TeamMates is having a fundraiser for our scholarship fund,” she stated. “We’ll be selling pork sundaes and also raffling off gift baskets.”
Benner stated that through the scholarships, students can still maintain a connection with their mentors while in college.
“One student went all the way through from 6th grade to their graduation,” she explained. “One of the criteria, because they won a national scholarship from TeamMates, is to maintain a TeamMate relationship. They could either maintain with the person they had or they could connect to somebody in their college, but they chose to stay connected.”
Benner expressed thanks to members of PUMC for donating to the chapter and giving students new ways to connect with their mentors.
“A heartfelt thanks to both the United Methodist Church and all of the mentors who gave up their time to positively impact a kid,” she said.
Benner noted that the chapter is always open to more students joining, but is in need of new mentors.
“We’re never overloaded on adults, so we could always use (new mentors) as long as you’re out of high school,” she commented. “There has to be a four year difference. So even if you graduated from high school and you’re hanging out in this area, you could have a middle school kid or a elementary kid, you just have to be three or four years older than them.”
Benner stated that anyone who has graduated from high school can sign up to become a mentor within the local chapter by filling out the application at teammates.org.