Bob Goodrum Returns to the Roof to Recruit Mentors and to Raise Mentorship Awareness

June 24, 2009 – Mentor Services Director Bob Goodrum will be plucked from terra firma and placed atop our newly-renovated headquarters on June 30, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. Bob will spend 48-hours exposed to the elements (and the good-natured taunts of co-workers) to raise Indianapolis’ awareness of the efficacy of mentorship as a means to increase high school graduation rates and, of course, to recruit mentors.

“Mentors have proven to be enormously successful in terms of helping students stay focused on studies and graduate high school – and enroll in higher education,” Goodrum says. “Our mentors and students – we call them Starfish Scholars – have worked very hard and we have a 100% success rate. Every one of our Scholars has graduated high school and enrolled in higher education of some sort.

“And being a mentor is easy,” Goodrum continues. “You don’t have to teach. You don’t have to instruct. All you have to do is believe in the student, be yourself, and let your Scholar know you’re there for her or him.”

In one-hour intervals, Goodrum will be joined on the roof by such local movers and shakers as Ike Randolph of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives; Roger Williams of Help Indy Online; and Anthony Ware of S4X.

“I spent two days on the roof in 2008, too, and it was a bit lonely, to say the least,” Goodrum chuckles. “This year, we’re inviting supporters of education and local youth to join me. Their presence will not only help raise awareness of the value of mentoring, but hopefully will help the recognition of other organizations that do so much good in Central Indiana.

Recently, Indianapolis was ranked 50th of 50 surveyed cities with a 30.5% high school graduation rate in the 2009 update to the America’s Promise Alliance and Editorial Projects in Education “Crisis in Cities” Report. By comparison, 100% of Starfish students graduate from high school and are accepted into college.

“There is much work to be done in Indianapolis and Starfish Initiative and its wonderful mentors and Scholars are doing that work,” Bob continues. “We emphasize more than just staying focused and graduating. We also expose our Scholars to the benefits of giving back to their community through service project opportunities. And Huntington Bank has been a wonderful partner with their Financial Literacy program, preparing our Scholars for real life in a meaningful, practical way.”

Bob’s first trip to the roof paid off; he recruited several new mentors and attracted donations from individuals and groups not previously aware of Starfish Initiative’s successful work with Indianapolis youth.

Executive Director Joyce Johnson hopes for a new batch of mentors this year, too. “Our incoming class – the Class of 2013 – is our largest class yet. We began serving only 12 high school students and now we’re serving about 300 students in more than thirty high schools in Marion County. We couldn’t be more proud.

“I’m sure Bob’s Return to the Roof is going to be much more pleasant than his first go-round,” she laughs. “This time, I think we’ll feed him. A number of local restaurants who support mentoring area youth are providing meals.”

Scholars Inn will provide Goodrum’s evening meals. Datsa Pizza (907 N. Pennsylvania Street) and Urban Element (901 N. Pennsylvania Street) share lunch duty. Le Peep Restaurant (at New York and Illinois Streets) and Hoaglin To Go Café & Marketplace (448 Massachusetts Avenue) will send breakfast up to Goodrum.

N&S Tree Service of Greenwood (1342 Woodfield Drive) will ever-so-gently deposit Goodrum on the roof and remove him – all in good time.

Stop by and say hi to Bob. Or if you’re driving by – honk if you love mentoring!