Grand Area Mentoring (known locally as GrandAM) is nearing the close of its fourth year serving Moab students. Since 2005, GrandAM has been matching volunteer mentors with students in Kindergarten through 11th Grade. Mentors and students meet for an hour each week in one-on-one sessions at school or in small groups throughout the community. They develop a friendship by pursuing a diverse range of activities including board games, sports, reading, artwork, and learning new skills like sewing or rock identification.

GrandAM’s success is confirmed by a marked improvement in pro-social skills and academic performance. National research suggests that mentored students will have:

· improved attitudes toward school
· higher grades
· improved relationships with peers and adults
· higher self-confidence.

School-based mentoring could not exist in Moab without the participation of two important groups: Financial contributors and volunteer mentors. GrandAM donors include: George and Dolores Eccles Foundation, Grand County School District, Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, Synergy Company, Footprints Inc, Wells Fargo Foundation, Moab Half Marathon, Fulghum Family Foundation, Energy Solutions, St. Pius X Catholic Church, and many generous citizens.

With more than one thousand five hundred hours of mentoring during this school year, these volunteers are making a difference. To learn more about how you can join this growing movement, call Dan at 435-260-9646 or email grandareamentoring@gmail.com and be sure to mention you read about it in Moab Happenings.