The Burwell Legion Club was filled to capacity on Tuesday to hear a very special guest. Legendary Nebraska Cornhusker football coach, Dr. Tom Osborne, shared stories and anecdotes with an attentive audience. The Rotary Club of Burwell sponsored the event, where Dr. Osborne discussed why he founded Teammates, a mentoring program that provides support and encouragement for youth as they work to complete their high school education and go on to college.
Dr. Osborne and his wife, Nancy, began Teammates in 1991 with 22 football players who mentored 22 seventh and eighth graders. Osborne told those youths, “If you stay out of trouble and graduate high school, we’ll pay for your college.” Of those 22, 21 graduated high school and 18 went on to college. Now, Teammates is in 145 school districts and mentors about 8,000 kids. Osborne hopes that the program will reach 200 school districts and 12,000 students by 2020.
Dr. Osborne added that kids volunteer to be mentored by Teammates. The program is school-based and most mentoring happens in the school. This has a positive impact on students. Osborne claimed that, according to Gallup, “85% of kids in Teammates have improved attendance (and) 48% are more likely to go to college because of mentoring.” Mentors are expected to be committed to the student, meeting with him or her once a week, provide affirmation/identify student strengths, and provide a vision for the student.
The impact of Teammates has been significant and, as Osborne said, has had “a ripple effect.” He concluded by stating, “If you change the life of one person, you influence hundreds, maybe thousands.”
