STATE OF FLORIDA
    Office of the Governor
     
    THE CAPITOL
    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0001
    JEB
    BUSH
         
      
    GOVERNOR
         
     
    February 11, 2003
     
     
    Dear Friend:
      
    This summer, 200 high school students will be selected to serve as the second group of Teen Trendsetter™ Reading Mentors.
    The Governor’s Mentoring Initiative has partnered with
    Florida Tr
    e
    nd’s NEXT
    magazine to find students who understand the
    value of devoting time to helping others, who appreciate the importance of reading and who have what it takes to get other
    students involved.
     
    The goal of the Teen Trendsetter Reading Mentors program is to encourage high school students to become involved in their
    local communities by becoming reading mentors and tutors to elementary school students. The program will also these
    provide elementary students with positive role models who will promote the importance of reading.
     
    The 200 selected Teen Trendsetters will visit Universal Orlando™ in July for special training based on the latest research in
    reading conducted by the Florida Department of Education. They will also receive training provided by our office on how to
    serve as a leader and motivator for mentoring in their schools. This training will help them with establishing a Teen
    Trendsetter club at their school. Needless to say, these students will also have the opportunity for shared “fun time” at
    Universal Orlando. Additionally, this year’s program sponsors include, Universal Orlando, AAA Autoclub South, Verizon,
    the Florida Department of Education and Comcast Cable.
     
    Upon completion of this training, the reading mentors will return to their home school to recruit other students for the
    program and to establish a mentor program at an elementary school in your area. Qualified applicants not selected as Teen
    Trendsetter Reading Mentors may be invited to participate in the program in other ways throughout the school year.
     
    In 1999, when the Governor’s Mentoring Initiative first began, Governor Jeb Bush announced his goal to recruit 200,000
    Floridians to become mentors to Florida’s students. I am pleased to report that the results of our last Prevalence in Mentoring
    Survey state that over 135,000 students are currently being mentored in either one on one or group mentor settings statewide.
    I urge you to encourage your students to go to www.FloridaNEXT.com to apply to become Teen Trendsetter Reading
    Mentors. Enclosed you will find detailed information on this exciting new program, along with the necessary contact
    information. Your teachers may also download a printed version of the application for students who do not have internet
    access by going to www.FloridaNEXT.com/TeachersLounge or www.flamentoring.org. All applications are due no later
    than Wednesday, April 30, 2003 at 5:00 p.m. For any further questions, you may contact Cristal Cole in my office at (850)
    410-0696 or Mrs. Jamie Cataldo,
    Florida Trend's NEXT
    editor, at (727) 892-2622.
      
    Sincerely,
     
     
     
    Liza McFadden, Executive Director
    Governor’s Mentoring/Family Literacy Initiative
     
    Enclosure
     

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