Bill Stanczykiewicz, President and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute, a non-profit organization that promotes the healthy development of Hoosier children and youth by serving the people, institutions and communities that impact their well-being, was in Merrillville Tuesday to promote National Mentoring Month, coming up next month.  Stanczykiewicz, who also appeared at our Region News Team studios on his way to South Bend, says people making New Year's Resolutions to improve themselves and their local communities and can "reach out to a child in need through a one-on-one mentoring relationship." 

The I-Y-I CEO says that the research is clear "When you look at one adult with one child at least one hour, at least once a week for at least one school year, that student tents to do better in school, make good attitude and behavior choices,  and are really much more likely to grow into a productive adult."   He adds, "that's the positive impact of mentoring and the positive impact people can have by volunteering."

Stanczykiewicz also says too many kids suffer from A-D-D, not Attention Deficit Disorder, Adult Deficit Disorder."  He adds "I had one school superintendent say that he had too many kids in his school district that didn't have even one adult whoever said a kind word to them.  Now, think about that if we're adults how painful that could be--what if you're a child."

More information about National Mentoring Month can be found at:  http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/

More information about the Indiana Youth Institute can be found at: http://iyi.org/

Bill Stanczykiewicz, President & CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute at our Region News Team studios on Tuesday, December 18, 2012.

            (photo provided by Radio One Indiana)

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