MOULTRIE, Ga. – Willie J. Williams Middle School is revamping an old mentoring program formerly called Tiger Partners to help strengthen students’ academic success. 

Willie J. Williams Middle School Graduation Coach Roger Ketchum said Tiger Partners was active about 20 years ago and had a successful track record of creating life-long relationships that are still ongoing.

He will facilitate the program with the guidance of WJWMS Principal Jim Horne. 

“The Packer Partners Mentoring Program’s main goal is to help create meaningful relationships between community [and] faculty members and students at Willie J. Williams,” Ketchum said in an interview Tuesday. 

“It’s all about mentors and mentees being there for each other and helping our students have an extra friend they can always reach out to for advice or just to talk to,” he said.

Developing positive relationships with students will help mentors build a rapport with students and allow them to check on their academic progress at school, especially during grade report times – highlighting the two main pillars of the program: academic success and accountability. 

“The mentor will also give the student another person they can reach out to speak with and offer advice to them through a difficult period of time students may have,” Ketchum said. “We are hoping these relationships will develop after their middle school time concludes and potentially become life-long.”

He said he hopes the program will tentatively start within the next month. 

The program will focus on sixth- and seventh-grade students. To be considered for the program, students must be nominated by their teachers and Ketchum. 

“If a teacher feels that this program will benefit the student, they can nominate the student to be paired up with a volunteer,” he said.

Any community members are open to joining the Packer Partners program as mentors.

“The Packer Partner Mentoring Program will need mentors who can commit their time and effort to develop relationships with their students, offering advice and helping to hold their students accountable for their academic progress at Willie J. Williams,” Ketchum explained.

Interested volunteers must contact Ketchum at his email roger.ketchum@colquitt.k12.ga.us or on his cell phone at (229) 977-6804.  

After contact, he will screen the member, send out a brief survey and match up the member with a student.