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A MEMORIAL
DECLARING FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2008, "BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
YOUTH MENTORING DAY" AT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WHEREAS, more boys and girls in New Mexico than ever
before grow up in circumstances that place them at severe risk
of dropping out of school, youth crime and violence, drug and
alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, the big brothers big sisters mission is to
bring caring adults into the lives of young people in order to
prevent destructive behavior and instill positive values and
life skills; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico's big brothers big sisters programs
served over three thousand children in 2007 in counties across
the entire state and these programs were nationally recognized
for their Hispanic and Native American mentoring initiatives;
and
WHEREAS, science-based research has shown that a young
person who is matched with a big brother or big sister
volunteer is:
A. forty-six percent less likely to start using
illegal drugs;
B. twenty-seven percent less likely to start
drinking;
C. fifty-two percent less likely to skip a day of
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school;
D. thirty-seven percent less likely to skip a
class; and
E. less likely to engage in violence; and
WHEREAS, the positive impact of big brothers big sisters
has proved that one adult caring for one child is the most
powerful force to keep young people in school, off drugs and
alcohol and out of trouble with the law; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico's big brothers big sisters programs
and its school-based partners have grown twice as fast as the
national average, increasing the number of youth matched with
adults by nearly sixty percent to three thousand one hundred
big-little matches in the past year; and
WHEREAS, with waiting lists for all of its programs and
a torrent of requests from unserved counties in New Mexico,
the big brothers big sisters programs in New Mexico are
committed to bringing its life-changing program to all
children in the state, regardless of where they reside;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the invaluable
contributions of big brothers big sisters be recognized and
that Friday, January 25, 2008, be declared "Big Brothers Big
Sisters Youth Mentoring Day" at the house of representatives.