Hasegawa’s mentoring bill becomes law

May 12, 2009

OLYMPIA – When a young person goes through difficult periods, faces new challenges, or works through family and other social problems, mentors can offer support, guidance and assistance. This sustained relationship between a young person and an adult works because both benefit from the experience, so it’s no wonder that the number of mentoring programs has grown dramatically in recent years. And thanks to a bill signed into law yesterday by Governor Gregoire, this trend will continue

“Many children in our state are in desperate need of help sorting through problems in their everyday lives; they may not have parents or a family structure that can provide them with guidance and support,” said Rep. Bob Hasegawa (D-Seattle), prime sponsor of House Bill 1986. “It’s in those cases that mentors really do play critical roles as they are in the unique position to positively influence kids in need and help them endure social, academic, family, or personal crises.”

Hasegawa’s bill establishes a pilot mentoring project at Western Washington University (WWU) in partnership with a community or technical college. The program’s goal is to encourage elementary students to complete high school and pursue college, provide positive role models, and develop a model that is scalable.

“This program is about opening doors to possibilities for many children who might not even finish high school, let alone consider college as an option. These children listen to and learn from college student mentors, which is why the program has been so successful in the past,” said Cyndie Shepard who served as director and co-founder of the Phuture Phoenix Program at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. This award-winning program, launched in 2003, encourages students to graduate from high school and move on to higher education.

The WWU pilot mentoring program, known as Compass 2 Campus, is designed to increase access to higher education by providing an opportunity for 5th grade students from traditionally underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds in Whatcom and Skagit counties to be mentored by university students. It will provide leadership and mentorship skill development among university students, while at the same time giving elementary students an introduction to “college life.”

“This pilot program is an important step in improving a currently too narrow pipeline, for many in our state, to a college education,” said Sherry Burkey, WWU associate vice president, University Relations.

Studies and evaluations of mentoring programs have found that mentored students have much higher career goals, suggesting that the mentoring process may trigger a greater concern for the future among the mentored students. Results have also shown that mentored students do better academically, on average, than students without mentors.

Under Hasegawa’s bill, the institutions that participate in the pilot project will submit a preliminary report to the Legislature by December 1, 2010, and a final report on December 1, 2011. The bill also requires the pilot project to be implemented within existing resources.

Governor Chris Gregoire (center) signs HB 1986 on May 11, 2009. At left is Sherry Burkey, WWU associate vice president, University Relations and State Rep. Bob Hasegawa (right), the bill’s prime sponsor.