As communities across the country observe National Mentoring Month, the Norwalk Mentor Program marked a milestone of its own: 40 years of steady, life-shaping relationships between caring adults and Norwalk students.
Founded in 1986 by longtime youth advocate Dr. Susan Weinberger, Norwalk’s school-based mentoring program has quietly become one of the most enduring forces for encouragement and connection in Norwalk Public Schools.
For The Carver, this celebration carries special meaning. Dr. Weinberger has long been a Carver volunteer and advocate, embodying the same belief that guides our own work: that every young person deserves a champion. The Norwalk Mentor Program’s 40-year legacy is a powerful reminder that change often begins with one caring adult, one hour a week, and a promise to show up.
For four decades, trained volunteers have been paired with students in grades K–12, meeting for one hour each week during the school day. Through simple, consistent time together—playing games, talking, listening, and offering perspective—mentors provide something profoundly powerful: presence.
The program’s 40th anniversary was celebrated at the Maritime Aquarium, where mentors, mentees, and families gathered to honor relationships that, in many cases, have lasted years, and even decades. Two mentor-mentee matches were recognized for remaining together for more than ten years, a testament to the program’s commitment to long-term connection rather than short-term intervention.
As Jasmine Prezzie, director of the Norwalk Mentor Program, shared during the celebration:
“All it takes is for one person to truly believe in you to see your full potential. Every child deserves someone other than family to care about them. It can make a world of difference.”
And the difference is clear. Students spoke about mentors who became trusted confidants, steady role models, and lifelong friends. In one particularly moving reflection, a student described a 13-year mentoring relationship that began in childhood and continues today—with plans to stay connected even through college.
Currently, the Norwalk Mentor Program supports 410 active mentor-mentee matches across the district. Yet the need remains significant, especially for male students who are waiting for a mentor to step forward.
National Mentoring Month reminds us that mentoring is a proven strategy for helping young people thrive, particularly those facing barriers in education, employment, or life circumstances. Research consistently shows that mentoring relationships improve academic engagement, strengthen social-emotional skills, and expand young people’s sense of possibility.
Those interested in becoming a Norwalk mentor can contact Jasmine Prezzie at jprezzie@hscct.org or 203-354-1956 to learn more. Because sometimes, the most transformative investment we can make is simply to believe in a child and keep showing up.