Welcome to Garrett Mentors

We are a school-based nonprofit serving students in Garrett County, Maryland. Since 2008, we’ve connected elementary-aged children in need of positive adult role models with caring volunteers who serve as lunchtime mentors within Garrett County Public Schools.

Students are referred to us by their teachers or school counselors and are matched with a mentor through our program. Each week, mentors meet one-on-one with their matched student during lunchtime, offering encouragement, consistency, and a reliable presence. Mentors and children choose their activities together—some talk or play games, others read, and many work on special projects or shared interests. Our focus is on building friendship, trust, and a consistent relationship during lunchtime at school. While we are not a tutoring organization, many mentors assist with schoolwork when needed, although this is secondary to the social–emotional focus of our program.

Over the years, teachers and staff have reported remarkable improvements in participating students—including better classroom behavior, increased respect for authority, stronger relationships with adults and peers, higher confidence, improved engagement in learning, and better attendance. Many students have also shown academic growth, supported by the meaningful relationships they develop with their mentors.

To ensure a successful experience for both mentors and students, we provide background checks, training, orientation, ongoing support, and helpful resources to all volunteers. On occasion, we also work with schools to provide resources for families of the children we serve.

In May 2014, the Garrett Mentors Joan Johnson Inspiration Award was established by our Board of Directors to honor former board member Joan Johnson. The award was presented annually to inspirational members of our community, including mentors, groups, individuals, and couples. Beginning in 2025, we expanded this honor to recognize former mentees from our program who have grown into inspirational young adults.

In 2016, we established the Admiral Richard B. Schiff Memorial Scholarship in memory of former board president Rick Schiff. Administered by the Garrett College Foundation, this annual scholarship supports Garrett County residents attending Garrett College, with preference given to former Garrett Mentors students. Through this scholarship—and through our mentoring program as a whole—we strive to help young people set goals, plan for their future, and build meaningful pathways within the Garrett County workforce.

In 2024, we began a partnership with the Maryland Natural Resources Police when Captain Christopher Morris, Western Region Commander, joined us as a mentor. He encouraged additional officers to volunteer as mentors as well. This collaboration has made a lasting impact on our mentees and other students by helping build trust and positive relationships with law enforcement.

We have been honored to receive support and recognition at both the school, local and state levels throughout the years. Our community has supported us tremendously through donations from local businesses, individuals, civic groups, churches, foundations, and more.  We are proudly supported by Tucker Community Foundation and The Community Trust Foundation’s Naylor Family Trust. We are grateful for all who host fundraisers, collaborate with us, or contribute to our mission. Each school embraces the mentors serving there in different ways and we encourage our mentors, if they choose, to get involved in other school iniatives, programs, field trips, etc.  In March 2013, we received the Golden Apple Award from the Comptroller of Maryland for superior volunteer work in the state’s public schools. In September 2018, our organization was voted “Garrett County’s Favorite Non-Profit” in the Deep Creek Times People’s Choice Challenge. When Garrett Mentors celebrated its 10th and 15th anniversaries, both milestones were acknowledged with proclamations from local and state officials. Our Executive Director, Laura Fike, was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s 2022 list of Top 40 Leading Women Under 40. In 2023, she received the Bridgewater College Young Alumnus Award and the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year Award. In October 2023, she was also recognized as an “Unsung Hero” in Lakeside Magazine.

We are incredibly proud of the work we do as an organization, but most of all, we are grateful for the dedicated, consistent volunteers who mentor students each week. We are honored to serve Garrett County and deeply appreciative of the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children. We firmly believe that a strong community begins with investing in its young people, and we remain committed to making that impact—one mentor–child relationship at a time.