Governor-Elect Pillen: 'I Will Use Every Opportunity to Expand Mentoring'

LINCOLN, NE – Nebraska Governor-elect Jim Pillen announced he will be using every tool of the executive branch to expand Nebraska's mentoring capacity with a focus on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade literacy. As part of this effort, Governor-elect Pillen announced he will declare February "Nebraska Mentoring Month", expand the capacity of State of Nebraska team members to be involved with mentoring programs, and look for partnerships with mentoring organizations with the aim of increasing child literacy.

"As governor, I will use every opportunity to expand mentoring in Nebraska," said Governor-elect Pillen. "Our kids are our future, and we need to give them every opportunity to succeed. This effort begins with increasing literacy among our youngest students who are struggling with reading because of disrupted learning during the pandemic."

Beginning the first week of February, Governor-elect Pillen will be signing a proclamation declaring it "Nebraska Mentoring Month" and encouraging all Nebraskans, who are able, to become a mentor to a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd grader that needs help with raising their reading proficiency. The Governor-elect, upon taking office, will work with state team members to give them more opportunities to get involved with mentoring programs. The Office of the Governor will also be looking for additional partnerships with existing mentorship programs to increase youth literacy.