State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is call­ing on college students to join the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps.

The program is seeking up to 6,500 college students who will work with organizations that pro­vide mentoring for K-12th grade students. Thurmond serves as chair­man of a 25-member board appoint­ed by the governor that supports California volunteers.

“Given all the challenges stu­dents have faced during the pan­demic, now is the right time to link our K-12 students with volunteer mentors and tutors through pro­grams such as this one, as one more way we can support students as they heal and recover,” Thurmond said. “Providing K-12 students with access to caring adult mentors is known to have meaningful positive outcomes, including reducing youth violence and improving grades and school attendance.”

At the end of 2021, Thurmond announced an expansion of mentor­ing programs as a way to help offset challenges younger students faced during the pandemic. He is explor­ing strategies to build and expand programs and create a statewide mentoring infrastructure. To fund the initiatives, Thurmond is looking into state-supported resources, as well as funds available through foundations and the business sector.

The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps provides debt-free pathways to college and enables students to engage in initiatives to solve prob­lems in their communities. The first-of-its-kind initiative was launched in partnership with California colleges and universities.

Anyone interested in supporting mentoring programs is urged to email mentoring@cde.ca.gov.