Sometimes they need you to talk with them.

Other times, they just need you to listen.

Most of all, they just need you to be there.

And this is your opportunity.

The Kingfisher Educational Foundation’s mentoring program is starting its third year.

Students With A Role Model (SWARM) was designed to connect community volunteers with Kingfisher Public Schools students who can benefit from extra support and encouragement.

Mentors of all types are needed for all grade levels.

They can work with entire classrooms at the elementary level or even oneon- one with students all the way up to high school age.

They typically commit 30 to 45 minutes each week with their students.

Volunteers must be 18 or older, must pass a background check and complete the required training.

There is an onboard training at 4 p.m. this Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the Kingfisher Junior High library.

It could be the start of a rewarding venture for a mentor and maybe even a life-changing move for a student down the road.

••• Before moving back to her home county a few years ago, Teri Swisher spent 20 years working with teens through her church’s Wednesday night youth program in southern Arkansas.

When she returned to Oklahoma, Swisher volunteered in a number of ways with her church and other community programs.

But she knew there had to be more she could do.

“Kids go through a lot at this age,” she said, recalling the Arkansas teens. “They definitely need support and sometimes just a listening ear, someone who really cares about just them.”

So last year, Swisher signed up to be a mentor with SWARM.

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, she met with a female student at the junior high once a week for about 20 to 25 minutes at a time during the student’s What I Need (W.I.N.) period at school.

Swisher was prepared to offer whatever support she needed.

It usually was just lending her ear.

“My student really needed someone to listen to her,” she said. “Teenage angst is real and peer pressure along with sports and grades sometimes are a lot to feel their way through. And with a girl, it’s always boys, boys and boys!”

So Swisher listened. Sometimes she offered some advice.

“I encouraged her to keep her grades up so she was able to participate in extra-curricular activities,” Swisher said.

She always tried to be uplifting.

And she noticed it made a difference.

“I feel like her self-image became more positive as the year went on,” Swisher said. “That’s a real problem for girls in junior high.”

And that, among other things, had a positive impact on Swisher as well.

“I was very proud of all the progress she made,” she said. “I chose to seek her out at other school activities and she was always glad to see me.

“That made me happy, too.”

••• Melissa Slezickey sees all the issues teens - whether female or male - deal with on a daily basis.

She’s the assistant principal and counselor at the junior high.

She realizes the need for a program like SWARM.

“Role models play a vital role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of our students,” she said. “For middle school and junior high students, the ability to form connections with trustworthy adults outside of their immediate family has numerous benefits.”

Slezickey said the mentors in the SWARM program are “trusted guides and role models.”

“They listen without judgment, share their own experiences and help students navigate the challenges of adolescence,” Slezickey said.

“By being present and engaged, mentors show students that they are valued and capable of achieving their goals.”

She has witnessed the positive effects of SWARM the last two years.

All it takes is some caring adults willing to volunteer less than one hour each week.

“I’ve seen how the program really helps students form genuine connections with their mentors,” Slezickey said. “It’s heartwarming to witness the boost in their confidence as they navigate the ups and downs of middle school and junior high.

“The dedicated mentors are so supportive and really make a difference in their lives.”

Even outside of her own experience, Swisher knows the value of a mentor as well.

“I think it’s very important,” she said. “I know in the younger grades, the mentors play games and eat lunch with their students.

“I think kids really look forward to having that ‘someone special’ just coming to see them.”

( Editor’s note: If you are interested in becoming a mentor, you can scan the QR code at the bottom of this story and fill out the online form or contact KEF board member Kathy Kadavy at 405-368-7063 or any KPS counselor for more information.)