Claudio Cerullo and Delaware Mentoring Council to honor Barclays

They will present at the annual National Mentoring Month Business Appreciation Event at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 29, in the Gore Recital Hall of the Louise and David Roselle Center for the Arts.

According to DMC Director Claudio Cerullo, DMC selected Barclays for the award based on "extraordinary support and commitment to mentoring of Delaware's youth as a method of helping youth realize their full potential.”

Besides recruiting more than 80 mentors to serve as mentors at East Side Charter School in Wilmington, Del., last year, Barclays helped secure at least three other businesses to support the mentoring program, bringing the total to more than 110 adult mentors now involved at the school. Barclays also has helped garner funds to support an in-school mentor coordinator and helped arrange for the training of mentors. In addition, the company has established a close relationship with school administration and staff to ensure the program follows the basic standards for safe and effective mentoring identified by DMC.

DMC was established by former Delaware Gov. Thomas Carper and formally recognized by executive order of Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in 2002. It is part of the Delaware Center for Teacher Education at UD. The mission of the council is to advocate for the mentoring of children in our public and private schools and communities with the ultimate goal of providing a mentor to every child who needs one.

The National Mentoring Month Business Appreciation Event, at which the Governor's award and other business recognition will be made, is free and open to those in the community who would like to learn more about the mentoring initiative in Delaware and help honor those from the business community who support this effort.