The Teammates program began in 1991 with the vision of University of Nebraska’s head football coach Tom Osborne and his wife Nancy. Coach Osborne thought his football players would impact some of the middle school students in the area.  The program went statewide in 1998 with 12 chapters and 441 mentor/mentee matches. Since then, the Teammates program has grown to include over 150 chapters and currently serves more than 8,400 matches. Tom Osborne, founder, says in an interview that it takes a lot of time to find a mentor for students, but once it happens, it helps students really find a path and where they want to take their life in the future.

The Teammates program gives kids the opportunity to be around a leadership figure and  gain a new friendship. Mentors take their students to lunch to talk about their day. This helps students that could possibly be going through difficult times. Trinity Jewett is a sophamore at Alliance High School, and is apart of the Teammates program. Her mentor is Nancy Hardinger. “I really enjoy the program, and I recommend other students join the program.”  She says her mentor has taught her how to keep an open mind, and to always remember what is important. “I love when we go to lunch and we play games. Somedays we just have casual conversations about the day.”

Just like any student, any adult can be a part of the program. The qualifying age to be a mentor is 18, and also have a high school diploma or GED.

Mentors can have a huge impact on a student’s life. Students starting at the age of 3rd grade can  be a part of the program and be paired with a mentor.

Mentors give their students great opportunities, and lead them into success. It is a great program that allows kids to have a positive relationship with an adult figure. It allows for kids to have an open mind and to experiance awesome opportunities along with many memories lasting a lifetime.