SWARM: Students With a Role Model

Why is SWARM important?

The Kingfisher Educational Foundation's (KEF) mission statement is to support our teachers and invest in students to enrich learning inside and outside the classroom to promote educational excellence.  We do this not only by fundraising for teacher grants but also by investing in the mental and emotional needs of our students.  One way we do this is through our mentoring program SWARM: Students With a Role Model. SWARM is another way KEF partners with the great school system of Kingfisher to support that vision and mission.

Here are just a few statistics from mentoring youth.

• Youth with a mentor are 46% less likely to start using illegal drugs
• Mentoring has been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression
• Youth who had a mentor are 130% more likely to hold leadership positions
• Mentoring promotes positive attitudes toward other people in society.  It helps reduce antisocial behavior.

So how does SWARM work?

SWARM is NOT a tutoring program. It is a program designed to build a relationship with an individual and help them with decision-making and self-confidence that will carry over into the classroom.  Teachers and counselors partner together to help identify students for the program. Once identified, SWARM is seeking qualified mentors to pair with the students.

How much time does SWARM take?

We are asking volunteers to give one hour of their time, per week, to mentor a student.  The time can be divided into 30-minute sessions on different days, if needed.  Gilmour mentoring will be an entire class in more of a group setting. We have also received a grant to help with resources for your mentoring sessions.

What are the requirements to be a mentor?

All mentors, even from the previous year, will need to attend the annual training class before school begins. Details on the time and place of the session will be provided each year. This meets FERPA requirements and communicates the needed training information for the new year. Background checks are required on all mentors and are good for 5 years.

How do I sign up for SWARM?

If you want to make a difference in a child’s life, please contact us for more information.  We only ask for an hour a week to positively impact a student’s life. It very well can change your life too! If you have any questions, please contact Tanya Cameron at 405-368-5277.