Editor’s note: This is the second in a weekly series on youth mentors with the Perham Area Kinship program, in light of January being National Mentoring Month. For the Kostynicks, mentoring is an adventure enjoyed by the whole family. Twice a month, Ann and John Kostynick and their boys, Colton, 14, and Connor, 11, meet up with Ryan Urbano, a third grader at Heart of the Lakes Elementary School, to play, swim, carve pumpkins, watch sports, and just do whatever it is they feel like doing. The family has been mentoring Ryan for the past year and a half through Perham’s Kinship program, and it’s an experience they find rewarding. “It’s about giving opportunities to someone... and just feeling good about being able to do that, and in getting my boys to do that,” Ann said in a recent interview. “It’s that feeling of giving, as opposed to receiving.” The family’s involvement in Kinship started with Ann. A first grade teacher at Heart of the Lakes, she learned about Kinship through its director, Jill Shipman, who has an office at the school. Ann learned there was a need for more mentors in the community, so she signed herself up.
It quickly turned into a full-family effort. Ann brought Ryan home one evening and he was warmly welcomed and quickly accepted as a new part-time ‘addition’ to the household. Ann’s husband, John, a teacher at Perham High School, was as excited as his wife was about becoming a mentor, and their two boys took to Ryan without any trouble. Mostly, Ann said, they all hang out together at their house, playing with toy cars, trains and Legos, though they’ve also gone out to watch school sporting events together, and have spent a day on Star Lake, swimming and then making s’mores over a bonfire. “It gives the kids’ parents a break,” Ann said of the mentorship program. “It’s not trying to replace anybody, it’s just trying to give them a break sometimes, because they’re busy with their jobs and families... Ryan comes from a wonderful family; this just gives him more time with other people, more opportunity, and they love the idea of giving their kids other opportunities.” Ryan is one of six children in the Urbano household. He’s bilingual, speaking Spanish at home and English at school and with the Kostynicks – though the family has been having fun trying to learn a few basic Spanish words to speak with him. Ryan said he likes spending time with the Kostynicks, especially when they’re playing Legos (his favorite activity). He feels comfortable around them. “I have fun,” he said. The feeling is mutual. As with all Kinship mentorships, the Kostynicks initially committed to just one year of mentoring, but Ann said her family has no plans to stop any time soon. “I can’t see not doing it,” she said. “And the people I know who have started to do it too, I think they feel the same way.” Since becoming a mentor, Ann has referred other teachers and friends to the program, who have also gone on to develop meaningful mentorships with local youth. “The cool thing about mentorship,” explained Ann, “is that it’s not about giving things, it’s more about giving time.” For more information about Perham Area Kinship, visit kinshipperham.com or contact the program’s direc-tor, Jill Shipman, at 346-7102 or ships@arvig.net. Editor’s note: This is the second in a weekly series on youth mentors with the Perham Area Kinship program, in light of January being National Mentoring Month. For the Kostynicks, mentoring is an adventure enjoyed by the whole family.Twice a month, Ann and John Kostynick and their boys, Colton, 14, and Connor, 11, meet up with Ryan Urbano, a third grader at Heart of the Lakes Elementary School, to play, swim, carve pumpkins, watch sports, and just do whatever it is they feel like doing.The family has been mentoring Ryan for the past year and a half through Perham’s Kinship program, and it’s an experience they find rewarding.“It’s about giving opportunities to someone... and just feeling good about being able to do that, and in getting my boys to do that,” Ann said in a recent interview. “It’s that feeling of giving, as opposed to receiving.”The family’s involvement in Kinship started with Ann. A first grade teacher at Heart of the Lakes, she learned about Kinship through its director, Jill Shipman, who has an office at the school. Ann learned there was a need for more mentors in the community, so she signed herself up.
It quickly turned into a full-family effort. Ann brought Ryan home one evening and he was warmly welcomed and quickly accepted as a new part-time ‘addition’ to the household. Ann’s husband, John, a teacher at Perham High School, was as excited as his wife was about becoming a mentor, and their two boys took to Ryan without any trouble.Mostly, Ann said, they all hang out together at their house, playing with toy cars, trains and Legos, though they’ve also gone out to watch school sporting events together, and have spent a day on Star Lake, swimming and then making s’mores over a bonfire.“It gives the kids’ parents a break,” Ann said of the mentorship program. “It’s not trying to replace anybody, it’s just trying to give them a break sometimes, because they’re busy with their jobs and families... Ryan comes from a wonderful family; this just gives him more time with other people, more opportunity, and they love the idea of giving their kids other opportunities.”Ryan is one of six children in the Urbano household. He’s bilingual, speaking Spanish at home and English at school and with the Kostynicks – though the family has been having fun trying to learn a few basic Spanish words to speak with him.Ryan said he likes spending time with the Kostynicks, especially when they’re playing Legos (his favorite activity). He feels comfortable around them.“I have fun,” he said.The feeling is mutual. As with all Kinship mentorships, the Kostynicks initially committed to just one year of mentoring, but Ann said her family has no plans to stop any time soon.“I can’t see not doing it,” she said. “And the people I know who have started to do it too, I think they feel the same way.”Since becoming a mentor, Ann has referred other teachers and friends to the program, who have also gone on to develop meaningful mentorships with local youth.“The cool thing about mentorship,” explained Ann, “is that it’s not about giving things, it’s more about giving time.”For more information about Perham Area Kinship, visit kinshipperham.com or contact the program’s direc-tor, Jill Shipman, at 346-7102 or ships@arvig.net.
