Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker came under fire early in his term when the execution-style murders of three college-bound teens captured national headlines last summer, further painting Newark as a city rampant with crime. That notion was cemented when one of the perpetrators arrested in those murders turned out to be 15 years old.
So it's no wonder Booker has made curbing teen violence one of his major priorities in 2007. On Thursday, Booker unveiled a new mentoring initiative aimed at ending crime among inner-city youth.
The Newark Mentoring Coalition, a network of mentoring programs and partnerships that will serve Newark youth, is Booker's new plan.
"Statistics show that kids involved in mentoring programs perform better in school and are less likely to commit violent crimes," said Booker, who has been a mentor since his undergraduate days at Stanford, to the Star-Ledger.
The coalition's goal is to "grow mentoring for children and youth through advocacy, promotion, marketing and support."
Yesterday, Booker, along with Matilda Raffa Cuomo, founder and chairperson of Mentoring USA, launched the National Mentoring Month 2008 Newark Campaign, during which Booker outlined his vision for the Newark Mentoring Coalition. Click here to see the campaign's public-service announcement.
"There's no reason that programs like Big Brothers and Big Sisters should have over 100 kids waiting for mentors," said Booker. "This exciting and critical new initiative is aimed at providing the mentors that the young people of our city so desperately need and deserve."
The campaign will also feature Gen. Colin L. Powell in television and radio public-service announcements running on Northern New Jersey stations. Click here to see the public-service announcement from Powell.
January is National Mentoring Month. This year marks the first in which Newark will commemorate the month. The National Mentoring Month 2008 Newark Campaign also includes "Thank Your Mentor Day" on Jan. 24.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, call 973-854-2213 or visit www.newarkmentors.org.
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