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POLK COUNTY—The BOLT Mentorship program is celebrating its second anniversary serving Polk County Schools. 

BOLT, which stands for “Building Opportunities for Leadership and Trust,” began in the spring of 2023 with the support of the Polk County Community Foundation as well as Polk County Schools’ administrators and guidance counselors. 

Former Polk Schools’ Grants and Community Partnerships Coordinator Ronette Dill had an instrumental role in helping launch the program and support its vision.

“After seeing the positive impact the C4C mentor program had on elementary students and their mentors in Saluda, my dream was to create a similar program for middle and high school students,” said Dill

Now in its second year, the grant-funded initiative has grown over 40% and serves over 20 students and mentors at Polk County Middle School, High School, and Early College. BOLT’s goal is to create meaningful connections between Polk County students and community role models. 

Mentors meet with students twice a month during school for about 20-30 minutes. During the 2024/2025 school year, BOLT Mentors logged a total of 125 meetings over 63 hours.  

BOLT’s mentorship model draws on the best practices of similar in-school mentorship programs, such as Rutherford County’s “McNair Mentors” and Pickens County’s “Y-Mentors” program. Additionally, BOLT incorporates elements of the Positive Youth Development model which highlights students’ core strengths. BOLT also focuses on developing leadership skills, such as communication, confidence, and character. 

“I like to call this program a community opportunity,” said BOLT Mentors’ Coordinator Carolyn Buaghman. “It’s a chance for incredible students to get to know role models who regularly check in with them to discuss life, goals, academics, and foster leadership skills.”

BOLT Mentors begins with a group of students who show interest in the program, or are nominated for the opportunity. Next, a mentor is selected who shares similar life experiences or interests. That mentor then undergoes a background check, reference review, and comprehensive training program. 

Once paired in the program, most mentors begin meeting with students in the 8th grade and continue until the students graduate from high school. Through consistent, bi-weekly meetings, mentors can become an additional supportive layer for teens, while also enhancing community connectedness. One BOLT mentor reflects, “This format of having a longer conversation allows you to establish a relationship early, and students get to talk to someone [they] know and trust.”  

Mentors gain meaningful experiences as they share life experiences, skills, and most importantly, a listening ear.

Looking ahead to the 2025/2026 school year, BOLT Mentors hopes to continue to grow. It also plans to introduce a “speaker series” where mentors present to Polk County High School and Early College students about specific careers of interest. Additionally, BOLT has plans for a monthly podcast where mentee students can interview mentors about careers, overcoming obstacles, and community connectedness. 

For more information, contact Carolyn Baughman at cbaughman@polkschools.org.