JUMP program profiles of kids on waiting list

The JUMP program is part of the Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau.  The goal of this program is to match adult volunteers with the kids in the community. Our youth need this one on one experience so they have more opportunities to grow, develop important skills and have a caring adult in their lives.   The JUMP program currently has a waiting list of children who want to be matched with an adult volunteer.  With this in mind, a series of articles will be written to let the public know more about these kids in hopes that it will touch the hearts of many and that people will come forward to volunteer to mentor these children. The names and ages of the children will be changed to protect their privacy.

One child currently on the waiting list is Brent.  Brent is a 7-year-old boy who comes from a family with 3 siblings where one sibling has some mental health issues that take up much of the family’s time.  Because of this, Brent is often not given as much time and attention as his mother would like him to have.   She is seeking a mentor for Brent so that he can have a better life and more time spent with a positive adult role model.  Brent’s’ mom describes him as very laid back and not a problem at home.  In fact, he is very helpful with his younger brother and with his mom.  She states he can be shy at first but comes out of it very quickly.  He’s a great kid and likes to watch tv, play with hot wheel cars, build with Legos, and play with their chickens.  He hasn’t learned how to ride a bike yet but that is something he would really like to learn.

Brent stated he really likes school and his favorite subject is Art.  He is involved in Cub Scouts and wants to be a firefighter when he grows up.  He said he likes to play with trucks, play outdoors with a ball or riding his power wheel, and as his mom stated, he like to build with Legos and play with the chickens.  If he had a mentor, he would like to go to the zoo, eat at McDonald’s, make and eat cookies, go swimming or go to a water park.  He says he is good at climbing and reading but would like to get better at kicking a ball.  He loves books about Dragons and if he could be anyone in the world, it would be Spiderman.

Brent is a great kid and would be fun to spend time with, doing just about anything.  If you are interested in becoming a mentor to Brent, you must be over the age of 21 and a male or a couple if you prefer mentoring together.

Mentoring is important for the youth of our community but it is also fun for both the adult and the child.  Please contact Jill Hampton at 362-0604 ext. 103 or email [email protected] if you are interested in learning more!