THOMASVILLE – At the recent Thomasville City School board meeting, First Presbyterian Church and Kids Hope USA was recognized as an important community partner for Harper Elementary School. This recognition of the mentoring program, which seeks to bring life-changing relationships with students at Harper Elementary School, was one of a series of milestones for the two-year-old program at Harper. 21 mentors from First Presbyterian logged approximately 500 hours spent with children one-on-one during the 2024-2025 school year.

In celebration of the partnership, The Kids Hope volunteers hosted the faculty of Harper for a Teacher Appreciation lunch and Harper feted both Kids Hope Mentors and Pearls and Ivey volunteers at an appreciation luncheon in late April and included the Kids Hope students.

Dr. Tim Filston, the senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church and a Kids Hope USA mentor notes the faithful commitment of volunteer mentors who show up week after week to show students they are loved and cared for.

“First Presbyterian counts it a true privilege to be welcomed by Harper Elementary and entrusted as a partner in this vital work,” he said. “Each week, there’s a quiet joy in watching a child’s face brighten when their mentor arrives at the classroom door. We hope our presence is not only an encouragement to the students but also a small lift to the remarkable teachers who invest so deeply, day after day.”

Kids Hope USA is a national mentoring organization that equips churches to send volunteer mentors to their neighborhood elementary schools to serve as mentors in a one-on-one relationship. Founded in 1995 and in its 30th year, Kids Hope USA now has almost 800 programs in 37 states and engages 17,000 mentors, prayer partners, and students.

The local church/school partnership at Harper began with the first class of mentors and students in the fall of 2024. From an initial group of 14 mentors with prayer partners and 14 students, the program is now in its second year and serves 21 students with weekly mentoring from their mentor and prayer support from their prayer partner.

First Presbyterian Church recruits volunteer mentors that are screened and trained to meet one-on-one with children who are identified by their teachers as needing additional support and encouragement. Mentors and students meet once a week for one hour at the school during the school day. Church members Martha Murray and Julia Singletary serve as volunteer co-directors of the program and work closely with the faculty and staff of Harper Elementary to identify students and match them with a mentor.

In Kids Hope USA programs, that one hour can make a big difference. Students can experience an improvement in academic skills and reading, feel a sense of greater confidence, and better social/emotional behaviors. The recent evaluation received by faculty on the program are unanimous in their appreciation for the program.  Most of the children served saw academic and behavioral improvements in the classroom.

Kids Hope USA is a national mentoring organization that connects community-focused churches with their neighborhood elementary schools. These school-based mentoring programs equip and mobilize volunteer mentors to go into the schools to enrich the lives of students through one-on-one relationships. Standing alongside parents, teachers, principals, and counselors, Kids Hope USA mentors show kids they are valued and loved. Together they play games, read, do schoolwork, talk, and much more. This intentional time helps provide the student with support, motivation, and confidence to learn and achieve.

Through the power of relationships, kids build resilience and a brighter future. Pamela Cloud, principal of Harper Elementary School, congratulates the mentors and celebrates the impact mentors are having in the lives of students in their community and invites others to learn more about this transformative mentoring organization.

For more information on how you or your church can get involved, contact co-directors Julia Singletary or Martha Murray at First Presbyterian Church, 229-226-2008.