Anne Foote Hill strives to bridge the gap between local youth yearning for guidance and seniors armed with life experience and advice they are ready to share.
Since 2014, Foote Hill has led the one-on-one youth mentorship program for New Covenant United Methodist Church of The Villages.
The mentorship program pairs ninth grade students at Wildwood Middle High School with mentors who work to encourage students in school, while providing emotional and spiritual guidance. Mentors and their mentees stay paired until the student graduates from high school.
“We aren’t there to tutor the student. We are there to give the student someone else who will be a champion for them,” said Foote Hill, who serves as New Covenant’s director of church administration and treasurer. “We want them to see there are people in the community who care and love them.
“Our intent is to provide another adult to help edify, celebrate and provide guidance for high school students,” she said. “It’s not to take the place of a parent or guardian. It’s somebody who meets with a student on an ongoing basis and hears about their life. They offer wisdom, challenge them in critical thinking and, in some cases, call them out when they’ve done something wrong and talk about what they could do differently in the future.”
Foote Hill said she helped guide program planners to work with young adults versus even younger students.
“I taught at South Sumter High School the previous eight and half years, so I knew the elementary schools get a lot of volunteers because everyone loves the itty-bitties,” she said. “But high schools don’t get a lot of volunteers because people are a little more intimidated by high schoolers, and they don’t know how to interact with them. I said I would love to see us do a mentor program for the high school.”
Last year, the program that started with 15 students and 15 volunteers had the most involvement at 43 students and 42 mentors paired together.
About 200 total students have participated in the program since its inception.
Along with members of the church and local community, Foote Hill has worked to diversify mentors by tapping members of The African American Club of The Villages last year.
“Representation is really important,” she said. “For the students of color, it’s important for them to see someone who they feel they can build a relationship with. I think especially with our boys, to see strong African American role models is really important. Just to show them another adult who can make a powerful impact in their lives.”
Michael Patrom, of the Village of Largo, is one of six TAAC members who became a mentor with the program.
Patrom said he was motivated to join because he wanted to be a part of the change where the, “rubber meets the road.”
“Deciding to throw my hat in the ring was one of the greatest things I’ve ever done,” Patrom said. “This to me is heads above my other accomplishments. With my mentee, we talk about leadership, life and other things young people need to make sure they are on the right track.”
Foote Hill also worked to diversify the pool of mentors by involving her family.
“I also have younger mentors now,” she said. “Two are my daughters and the other is my daughter’s best friend. They are all in their 20s, graduated from college and are working in the local area.”
After recruiting mentors for the upcoming school year, with applications needing to be in for review by July 15,
Foote Hill will attend the Wildwood Middle High School orientation to meet with interested students and parents.
“It’s a two-fold process,” she said. “The student has to want to do it and the parent or guardian has to say yes. If the student doesn’t want to be a part of the program, it won’t be a positive experience for them or the mentor.”
In addition to the one-on-one mentor sessions, the group will gather together for an official kick-off party, a Christmas celebration and an end-of-year party and field trips.
“Last year, I took the students to the University of South Florida in the fall and in the spring, I took them to Lake Sumter State College just so they have an opportunity to see what else is available to them,” Foote Hill said. “Every grading period we celebrate our students who made honor role with certificates and gift cards. It’s a reinforcement of how important grades are.”
One thing Foote Hill didn’t expect with the program is seeing how many relationships between mentee and mentor have continued years after the student has graduated.
“The mentor builds a strong bond with the mentee that continues for years,” she said. “The relationships that I’ve seen continue with the mentors and mentors after they get out of high school is amazing. People have continued meeting, calling, going out for breakfast. I had a student, Stephanie DeBeaux. She graduated in 2022. She’s in the Florida National Guard, so she goes away and comes back. She and her mentor, Chris Wile, still manage to meet once every three or four months and he will send me a little update of how she’s doing. It’s amazing that they’ve kept that relationship and stayed connected.
“This mentorship program isn’t part of my job description, but it’s my heart,” Foote Hill said. “This is my ministry and what I love to do. I feel that every child can use a mentor.”
For more information about how to become a mentor with the youth program, or how to enroll your Wildwood Middle High School student, call 352-750-4529, email afootehill@ncumcfl.com or visit ncumcfl.com.
Staff writer Brea Jones can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5414, or brea.jones@thevillagesmedia.com.
