Kingfisher Educational Foundation is once again working with Kingfisher Public Schools to provide mentors to students.

Students With A Role Model (SWARM) is entering its second year...and is expanding.

Last year mentors worked with students through the junior high. This year, it’s opened up to students in high school.

“This is not a tutoring program,” said KEF board member Tanya Cameron last Thursday when discussing the program with the Kingfi sher Lions Club. “This is all about mentoring and some of these students just need an adult to show them that there’s someone out there that cares...someone other than their teacher.”

Mentors will help develop a relationship with a student or group of students to help support academic, social and emotional skills, Cameron said.

There is a mandatory volunteer onboarding event being held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, at Kingfisher Junior High.

Prior to attending that training, those interested are asked to sign up by visiting https://bit. ly/ 3A5tuax.

Among the questions asked there are the day(s) of the week and time of day you may be available to volunteer plus how often.

It will also ask what grade level you’d like to mentor among other questions.

Those who do volunteer will be required to pass a background check through the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which is good for five years.

Cameron said the rewards of the program won’t be limited to the students.

“I really feel you’ll get as much from this as they do,” Cameron said.