SOMERS - Mentor Kenosha and Racine, an initiative based in the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has named Lisa Anderson the January Mentor of the Month. An employee at Kenosha's Edward Bain Elementary School of Language and Art, Anderson is the award's initial recipient.

When asked why she mentors, Anderson turned the question around, wondering why other people don't.

"Through mentoring, I do my part to promote diversity and in uniting the community. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing I have been able to help a child to feel more confident and secure in themselves. But what I cherish most are the smiles on their faces when they see me and they know that they are important to someone," Anderson said. In addition to helping the children she mentors, Anderson said her own children benefit by gaining a sense of what constitutes good citizenship and what individuals can contribute to the community.

On finding the time to mentor, Anderson said it helps that some of the children she works with are students at Bain Elementary School. Mentoring children who aren't students in her building requires some creativity.

"Some things you can do to make mentoring fit into your schedule easily are: meeting before work to have breakfast, spending time during your lunch hour, or even by sending mail to them at their school for teachers to give to them," Anderson said. "Just by doing little things daily, you can make a huge difference in the life of a child with very little effort."

Mentor Kenosha and Racine's Mentor of the Month award is open to outstanding mentors in Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties. The nomination deadline is the fourth Monday of each month. For more information, call Evan Witalison at (262) 595-2652 or e-mail evan.witalison@uwp.edu