tnAchieves inducts 32 volunteers into inaugural Mentor Hall of Fame

The statewide mentoring and scholarship program, tnAchieves, recently inducted 32 volunteers into the inaugural Mentor Hall of Fame, including one from Sumner County.

Educators, business professionals and community leaders across more than a dozen Tennessee counties were honored for consistently going above and beyond to support tnAchieves efforts within their communities.

“tnAchieves would not be where it is today without the support of these 32 difference makers who believe in the power of education,” tnAchieves President and CEO Krissy DeAlejandro said in an earlier statement.

“Our inaugural tnAchieves Mentor Hall of Fame class could not be more deserving. Since our inception 15 years ago, these individuals have remained dedicated to students and the economic vitality of our state. On behalf of countless students, I am forever grateful for their continued support.”

Inductees make an invaluable contribution to the program by consistently answering the call in shaping successful students and aligning their communities in support of tnAchieves efforts, according to the press release.

The privately funded scholarship and mentorship program works to provide an opportunity for every student in Tennessee to earn a post-secondary degree, regardless of background or zip code.

“I have been part of tnAchieves from the very beginning. One of the biggest impacts for me as a mentor is seeing students meet their goals, especially those students who are first generation students who did not think they had the ability to go to college. Through the tnAchieves mentor program, students in this situation develop the confidence to realize they can and will be successful,” tnAchieves Hall of Fame inductee of Hawkins County Matthew Hunter said in an earlier statement.

Mentors are provided training, a handbook and ongoing support as they encourage and guide students through navigating the college-going process one hour per month.

Having reached a combined total of more than 300 years of experience mentoring students, inductees service of one and 15 years was celebrated including Kasey Vatter of Sumner County, with 13 years of mentorship experience.

tnAchieves introduced the following volunteers into the Class of 2022 Mentor Hall of Fame:

• Debbie Adams - Sequatchie County - 9 Years Mentored

• Rebecca Ashford - Hamilton County - 14 Years Mentored

• Janice Bettis - Sevier County - 12 Years Mentored

• Veenita Bisaria - Loudon County - 12 Years Mentored

• Randy Boyd - Knox County - 15 Years Mentored

• Ricky Boyd - Obion County - 9 Years Mentored

• Karen Bowyer - Shelby County - 11 Years Mentored

• John Cagle - Jefferson County - 12 Years Mentored

• Dan Caldwell - Rutherford County - 8 Years Mentored

• Owen Driskill - Knox County - 15 Years Mentored

• Beth Duffield - Rutherford County - 9 Years Mentored

• Lindsay Frilling - Obion County - 9 Years Mentored

• Janice Goldthreate - Shelby County - 8 Years Mentored

• Matthew Hunter - Hawkins County - 11 Years Mentored

• Shanna Jackson - Davidson County - 9 Years Mentored

• Tish Jones - Hamblen County - 11 Years Mentored

• Youlanda Jones - Lauderdale County - 5 Years Mentored

• Michael Laman - Anderson County - 15 Years Mentored

• Kelly Lancaster - Rutherford County - 8 Years Mentored

• Mark Luttrell - Shelby County - 8 Years Mentored

• Allen Lutz - Roane County - 12 Years Mentored

• Greg Martz - Humphreys County - 11 Years Mentored

• Christy Newman - Blount County - 12 Years Mentored

• Don Polley - Gibson County - 9 Years Mentored

• Mike Ragsdale - Jefferson County - 14 Years Mentored

• Richard Ray - Knox County - 10 Years Mentored

• Mischelle Simcox - Sullivan County - 8 Years Mentored

• Michael Torrence - Putnam County - 10 Years Mentored

• Kasey Vatter - Sumner County - 13 Years Mentored

• Cliff Wightman - Cumberland County - 9 Years Mentored

• Tim Williams - Knox County - 15 Years Mentored

• Anthony Wise - Knox County - 13 Years Mentored

Only 48 percent of Sumner County’s mentor need has been recruited, leaving 170 mentor vacancies, according to tnAchieves mentor recruitment statistics as of Oct. 4.

And with just 60 percent recruitment across the state, mentors are greatly needed as the organization begins enrollment for the Class of 2023.

For more information on tnAchieves’ mentor program, visit https://www.tnAchieves.org/mentors.

Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com or (615) 517-1285.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: tnAchieves inducts 32 volunteers into inaugural Mentor Hall of Fame