National Mentoring Month, 2017

Proclamation 9560 of December 28, 2016

National Mentoring Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

With every generation, our Nation has expanded the
essential idea that no matter who you are or where you
come from, America is a place where--with hard work and
perseverance--you can make it if you try. Although
obstacles and challenges along the way can be
discouraging, the mentorship and support of others have
always motivated our people to persevere--even in the
toughest of times. At the start of each new year, we
observe National Mentoring Month to honor the parents,
families, teachers, coaches, and mentors who pour their
time and their love into lifting up America's daughters
and sons.

Nobody succeeds on their own: each young person's
strength and resilience is fostered by those who have
taught them they can do anything they put their mind
to. Whether helping mentees study for a test, learn a
new skill, or lift their heads up after a setback,
mentors provide them the chance they need to move
forward and set their sights even higher. And in
helping mentees achieve their goals, mentors can
inspire them to reach back and provide the same support
to someone else in need of a mentor. To learn how you
can mentor others and make a lasting difference, visit
www.Serve.gov/Mentor.

In too many communities, many children still have the
odds stacked against them, which is why my
Administration has striven to increase mentorship
opportunities across our country. Among other steps we
have taken, we established the My Brother's Keeper
initiative, which has inspired private organizations
and communities in every State to address opportunity
gaps and encourage mentorship as a tool for helping all
young people reach their full potential. At the White
House, we started our own mentee program and regularly
met with local youth to provide leadership and
guidance. And our efforts to bring higher education
within reach for more Americans and expand
apprenticeship initiatives have helped ensure more
students can access the educational and career
opportunities they need to thrive.

This month, we reflect on the transformative role
mentorship can play and acknowledge the many ways that
mentors have helped our next generation of leaders and
innovators grow. As a Nation, we are stronger when
every individual has the opportunity to contribute to
our American story. By working to give each person a
better chance at success, we can unlock their potential
and empower them to serve others in the same way.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim January 2017 as
National Mentoring Month. I call upon public officials,
business and community leaders, educators, and
Americans across the country to observe this month with
appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.