Altus City Mayor David Webb has proclaimed January as National Mentoring Month.

The proclamation read, “the citizens of Altus recognize that out success depends on helping every child succeed in school and reach their full potential in life, and realize that young people need a solid foundation of support that will help them become well-educated, confident, and productive citizens; and research shows that youth involved in mentoring are 52 percent less likely to skip school, 46 percent less likely to start using drugs, and 27 percent less likely to start drinking.”

Mentoring provides young people caring, responsible adults who can provide guidance to help build their confidence.

The proclamation continues, “National Mentoring Month is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of mentoring and to recognize the dedicated individuals who serve as mentors.”

Mayor Webb asked the people of Altus “to recognize the importance of mentoring, to look for opportunities to serve as mentors in the community and to observe this month with appropriate activities and programs.”