Looking to fill a void after the loss of her father, Sheconda Benton, help desk analyst, has been a mentor with Jackson County’s Lindsay’s Legacy since 2007.

The mother of two girls knew she wanted to be a community volunteer, and that she had experience with young people and youth programs through her church and as a March of Dimes volunteer. She also knew that becoming a mentor could make a difference in a child’s life.

“Sheconda Benton is a mentoring rock star! She’s logged more than 200 hours bringing encouragement to young people in our local schools,” says Lisa Stephens, executive director, Lindsay’s Legacy. “She has made an impact in the lives of the students she serves. She’s a shining example of a dedicated volunteer who consistently cares about the well-being of youth in her community.”

When Benton was matched with her current mentee, she hadn’t expected a young male student, since she’d previously mentored females. She was matched with mentee Timothy, a third grader at the time. Four years later, she continued to help guide his personal and academic success through mentoring and friendship.

Benton said their relationship is important to both of their lives. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to provide him with what he deserved, since I’ve primarily worked with females,” she said. Unlike many mentee-mentor relationships, this pair primarily concentrates on activities outside the classroom. “Timothy has folks who concentrate on his education and the importance of school so we decided that we both needed a friend - someone to play video or board games with, or to draw or go outside and play - taking a break from school and work duties,” she added.

Other employees who are active members of Lindsay’s Legacy Mentoring program include Christy Queen, marketing resource specialist and Joe Hicks, senior commercial/industrial marketing rep, both members of the Board of Directors; and mentors Lori McCutcheon, engineer 1 projects, and Jonathan Weaver, power requirement/project engineer.

For more information about Lindsay’s Legacy and mentoring, visit www.LindsaysLegacyMentoring.org.