TeamMates Mentoring of Lincoln Celebrates 30 Years

TeamMates Mentoring of Lincoln Celebrates 30 Years

TeamMates Mentoring (www.LincolnTeamMates.org) is celebrating its 30-year anniversary since being founded in 1991 by Dr. Tom and Nancy Osborne in Lincoln. The school-based program provides one-to-one mentors to students in grades 3 through 12. Husker football coach Osborne believed the athletes in his program could support and encourage middle school students, and in 1991, 22 football players began meeting with middle school students in Lincoln Public Schools.

Lincoln’s original TeamMates chapter remains the program’s largest, present in 70 public and parochial schools across the city. Despite the challenges, over 1,300 Lincoln matches continued to connect during the last school year. There are now 180 additional chapters, as TeamMates has expanded across Nebraska and into Iowa, Kansas, Wyoming, and South Dakota, serving 43,000 youth over the years. While the goal is to see youth graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education, TeamMates matches focus on cultivating and applying the student’s strengths, which in turn positively impact grades, attendance, and behavior.

“While we do see tremendous tangible outcomes, our most important indicator of success is students reporting higher levels of hope,” says Lincoln TeamMates Director Jim Bennett.

To start your mentoring journey or to become a community partner of TeamMates Mentoring, please visit www.LincolnTeamMates.org or call (402) 436-1990.