Citizens for Safe Schools is a Klamath County nonprofit dedicated to connecting kids with caring adult mentors — and the organization has put out a renewed call for volunteer mentors to meet growing demand.

The Klamath Living Connection

This article comes with a particular Klamath Living touch.

In an earlier issue, the organization shared a thank-you note:

"We did see the article — thank you so much, loved it! We have already had a couple people reach out about becoming volunteer mentors — so it was definitely a success! Thank you."
— Robyn Sparkes (Pfeifer), Executive Director of Citizens for Safe Schools

That kind of direct feedback — community magazine coverage producing measurable volunteer recruitment — is exactly why Klamath Living's Charity Spotlight program exists.

What Citizens for Safe Schools Does

Citizens for Safe Schools (CSS) pairs trained adult mentors with Klamath County youth for one-on-one mentoring relationships that support:

  • Academic success
  • Social-emotional development
  • Life-skill building
  • A consistent positive adult presence in a child's life

For students whose home situations don't always provide the kind of steady, caring adult engagement they need — a CSS mentor can be the single most consequential adult in their life outside of school.

Why More Mentors Are Needed

The demand for mentors in Klamath County continues to grow:

  • More students identified by schools and counselors as needing mentorship
  • More kids navigating family disruption, mental-health challenges, or social isolation
  • More research confirming mentorship's role in positive youth outcomes
  • More opportunities for adults to make a meaningful difference

What CSS Mentors Do

Mentor commitments typically involve:

Time Commitment

  • One hour per week is the standard minimum
  • A school year at minimum, with many mentors continuing for multiple years
  • Mostly during school hours at the student's school

Activities

  • Conversation — building the relationship through regular check-ins
  • Academic support — homework, study habits, organization
  • Skill activities — chess, art, sports, whatever interests the student
  • Life topics — career exploration, decision-making, social skills
  • Just being present — sometimes the simplest gift

What's NOT Required

  • No prior mentorship experience
  • No specific professional credentials
  • No teaching expertise
  • No specialized training upfront (CSS provides training and ongoing support)

Who Should Consider Becoming a Mentor

CSS mentors come from all walks of basin life:

  • Retirees with time and life experience to share
  • Working professionals who can spare a lunch hour weekly
  • Stay-at-home parents of older kids
  • College students at Oregon Tech and KCC
  • Anyone willing to show up consistently for a kid who needs an adult in their corner

If you have:

  • A weekly hour you can commit
  • Patience and warmth
  • Respect for kids and their families
  • Willingness to be background-checked and trained

— you can be a CSS mentor.

The Impact of One Mentor

Research on youth mentoring is clear:

  • Higher high-school graduation rates for mentored youth
  • Better mental-health outcomes through adolescence
  • Stronger social skills and peer relationships
  • Greater college enrollment
  • Healthier decision-making around substances and relationships
  • Stronger employment outcomes in early adulthood

A single trusted adult can change a trajectory. That's what CSS does at scale across Klamath County.

How to Become a CSS Mentor

The process is straightforward:

1. Application

Connect with CSS through their website or by contacting their office to begin the application process.

2. Background Check

Standard procedure for any adult working with kids.

3. Training

CSS provides initial mentor training covering communication, boundaries, and best practices.

4. Match

CSS pairs you with a student based on personality, interests, and availability.

5. Begin Mentoring

Weekly meetings during school hours, with ongoing CSS support.

What Mentors Say

From the article's reference to recent recruitment success:

"The article helped — we got new mentors signing up. The community responded."

That kind of immediate positive feedback — publish an article, get volunteers — happens when the community is ready to step up if asked clearly.

How to Get Involved

Become a Mentor

  • Klamath County residents with time to commit are needed
  • Background check + training are part of the process
  • Year-long minimum commitment is the standard ask

Donate

CSS runs on donations:

  • Mentor training and support costs money
  • Program coordination requires staff
  • Background checks are not free
  • Program materials and supplies for mentor-mentee activities

Refer

If you know someone who would be a great mentor — tell them.

If you know a kid (your kid, a neighbor's kid, a student in your network) who would benefit from a mentor — CSS can be the referral.

Spread the Word

Talk about CSS in your circles. Share their work on social media. Help build the awareness that produces the next round of volunteers.

Contact

Citizens for Safe Schools Executive Director — Robyn Sparkes (Pfeifer)

Reach out through Citizens for Safe Schools' website or contact their office to:

  • Apply to mentor
  • Donate
  • Refer a student
  • Get more information

Thank You

To Robyn Sparkes — for the leadership of Citizens for Safe Schools and the work of placing Klamath County kids with caring adult mentors.

To the current and past CSS mentors — for the weekly hour, the consistency, and the lasting impact you have on students' lives.

To Klamath Living readers — your engagement with our Charity Spotlight coverage produces real-world volunteer recruitment for organizations like CSS.

To the CSS students — past, present, and future — the basin is rooting for you.

If you're an adult with one hour a week and a heart for kids — Klamath County needs you.

Become a CSS mentor.