<html><head><style type='text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><div style='font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: #000099'><b>From: </b>"Drawde Geishecker" <dgeishecker@falmouth.k12.ma.us><br><div style="font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><br>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><u><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:12pt">Press Release</span></u></b><b style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:12pt">:<span style=""> </span>Falmouth Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS)<br>
</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'"><font size="3">For Immediate Release:<span style=""> </span>1 November 2012</font></span></p>
<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><u><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'">Contact:</span></u><span style="FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'"><span style=""> </span>Tracey Crago, VIPS Director, (508) 548-1621, <a href="mailto:tcrago@falmouth.k12.ma.us" target="_blank">tcrago@falmouth.k12.ma.us</a></span></font></p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:14pt"><font face="Calibri">VIPS Mentor Meeting—New Volunteers Welcome</font></span></b></p>
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<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font face="Calibri">On <b style="">Wednesday, November 7<sup>th</sup></b>, Falmouth Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS) will hold a workshop for adult mentors and those interested in learning more about mentoring, at the <b style="">Lawrence School at 5:30 p.m.</b> The workshop will feature creative ideas for engaging student mentees using hands-on, interactive activities. The session will be presented by <b style="">Patt Dietlin</b>, a guidance counselor at the Lawrence School. These meetings are open to new volunteers as well as veteran mentors. The meeting will last approximately one hour. In addition to the workshop, there will be a brief introduction to school-based mentoring in Falmouth Public Schools as well as an opportunity to meet veteran mentors and the program coordinator, Sharon Sodekson.</font></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font face="Calibri">Volunteer mentors are always needed! At the <b style="">elementary </b>and <b style="">middle school</b> levels, students are selected to participate in Project RISE by teachers, school adjustment counselors, or parents who believe that these students would benefit from having a caring adult as a friend. Each year, students in need of a mentor are left unmatched because we do not have enough mentors. By spending one hour each week with a child in a one-on-one, trusting relationship, a mentor can change the direction that child takes in his or her life. </font></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font face="Calibri">Mentors are also needed at the <b style="">high school</b> for students who may be having difficulty adjusting to the high school environment where they are faced with many difficult challenges and decisions. By spending one hour a week in friendly conversation with the student, a mentor can help the student deal with the many pressures teens encounter.</font></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font face="Calibri">The strength of the mentor—mentee relationship gives the student the tools he or she may need to become more self-assured and able to withstand adverse peer pressure. Students involved in school-based mentoring programs found they:<span style=""> </span>enjoyed spending time with their mentors; could count on their mentors; learned new things; participated in a variety of experiences; and wanted to continue in the program. Mentors noted that they:<span style=""> </span>enjoyed being with their mentees; had learned from their mentees; and believed that mentees had obtained new information regarding careers, higher education, and problem-solving techniques.</font></span></p>
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<p style="MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"><i style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt">Mentoring is rewarding!</span></i><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"> There are students waiting for a mentor friend at all grade levels. Anyone who is interested in learning more about mentoring through these VIPS programs is welcome at the meetings. New mentors are provided training prior to starting and throughout the school year<i style="">. For more information, or to RSVP for either meeting,</i> contact the VIPS office at (508) 548-1621 or by e-mail at </span></font><a href="mailto:vips@falmouth.k12.ma.us" target="_blank"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font color="#0000ff" face="Calibri">vips@falmouth.k12.ma.us</font></span></a><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-SIZE:12pt"><font face="Calibri">. </font></span></p>
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<p style="TEXT-ALIGN:center;MARGIN:0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">Falmouth VIPS, 874 Gifford St., Falmouth, MA 02540<span style=""> </span>(508) 548-1621<span style=""> </span></span></b><a href="http://www.falmouthvips.org/" target="_blank"><b style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt">www.falmouthvips.org</span></b></a><b style=""><span style="LINE-HEIGHT:115%;FONT-FAMILY:'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';FONT-SIZE:10pt"><span style=""> </span><a href="mailto:vips@falmouth.k12.ma.us" target="_blank">vips@falmouth.k12.ma.us</a></span></b></p>
<br>-- <br>
<div>Drawde Geishecker</div>
<div><font size="1">VIPS Secretary</font></div>
<div><font size="1">VIPS c/o FHS</font></div>
<div><font size="1">874 Gifford Street, Falmouth MA 02540</font></div>
<div><font size="1">(508) 548-1621 or (508) 540-2200 x4055</font></div><br>
<br><br>-- <br><div><span></span><div>Andrea Early<br>Communications Director<br>Marine Biological Laboratory<br>7 MBL Street<br>Woods Hole, MA 02543<br>508-289-7652<br>aearly@mbl.edu<br>www.mbl.edu<br>Twitter: @MBLScience<br>Blog: http://blog.mbl.edu/<br>Video: http://bit.ly/wxTncX<br></div><span></span><br></div></div></div></body></html>