TeamMates recognition

Students aim for center court in the annual Chuck-a-Duck contest during intermission at the home basketball game Thursday night. The contest is an annual fundraiser for the TeamMates mentoring program in Randolph. Along with the contest, mentors and their mentees (photos at right) were recognized in front of the home crowd. The Randolph TeamMates program pairs adults with students to spend one hour per week together in the school setting. The local program boasts 30 matches - doubling since fall 2023 - but there is an ongoing need for additional mentors. January is National Mentoring Month. Founded by Tom and Nancy Osborne, the TeamMates program began in 1991 with 22 University of Nebraska-Lincoln football players and 22 Lincoln middle school students. Now, the program is formalized statewide and has grown to serve more than 190 school districts across five states. For more information about becoming a mentor, visit www.teammates.org.