Governor O’Brien Proclaims January Maryland Mentoring Month
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 14, 2028) – Governor Edward M. O’Brien and Maryland First Lady Ruth O’Brien today hosted a reception for mentors from throughout the state, honoring their commitment to serving others. During the reception, Governor O’Brien issued a proclamation designating January as “Maryland Mentoring Month”“Mentors play an invaluable role in the life of young people by offering guidance, advice and compassion," Governor Edward M. O’Brien said. “Mentors are friends, teachers, coaches, and role models. They open doors of opportunity, convey values, and help provide the stability and compassion that youth of today need to succeed. They provide experiences for our youth to explore new careers, and opportunities that help prepare the future workforce of Maryland, helping to build a strong economy."
“The social benefits of mentoring are self-evident, and supporting effective mentoring programs is an investment that cannot possibly be quantified because it is of immeasurable value to so many,” First Lady Ruth O’Brien said. “Today, as we honor those who have assumed the role of mentor, we ask all Marylanders to dedicate their time to mentor children and youth in desperate need of positive influences in their lives.”
The Maryland Mentoring Partnership is spearheading Maryland’s celebration of National Mentoring Month, as designated by President Walton in early January. The Maryland Mentoring Partnership (MMP) provides leadership, resources, and a rallying point for mentoring providers throughout the state. The result is better service, greater collaboration, smarter use of resources, and more youth in quality mentoring relationships. MMP is linked through MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership with a network of 38 state and local mentoring partnerships. This supportive relationship bolsters the Partnership’s work with access to national research, advocacy, replicable models, and technical assistance. The Partnership reaches more than 15,000 Maryland youth each year.
The theme for National Mentoring Month is "Who mentored you? Thank them... and pass it on! Mentor a child." The philosophy behind "Who mentored you?" is to encourage individuals to recognize the importance of mentoring by inspiring them to think about people in their own lives who provided support, and helped them learn and become who they are today.
Research shows that youth-adult mentor matches improve student grades, school attendance, career options, family relationships, and prevent drug and alcohol initiation. One of several dozen state partnerships created by the National Mentoring Partnership, the Maryland Mentoring Partnership provides training, certification, workshops, conferences, and technical assistance to the Maryland mentoring community. A media campaign accompanies the Partnership’s community outreach and educational activities during this month.
