Wisner-Pilger TeamMates

06/15/2026

Another Mentor of the Month! Sally truly shows that "Mentoring is a work of HEART"!

Harms named Mentor of the Month

https://www.wpnews.com/news/top_stories/harms-named-mentor-of-the-month/article_16b0c32a-8221-4d9d-8a8c-a76f65b4cf67.html

05/26/2026

Each month TeamMates of Wisner-Pilger wants to recognize our MENTOR OF THE MONTH! In the month of May, we honor Sally Harms! She has been a part of TeamMates for 18 years and matched to 9 students over the years.

She met her current mentee this school year. She is also matched with TEAMMATES+ to a student at Wayne State College.

Sally is also the current TeamMates Board President.

Sally shares, "The youth of our community are valuable and a critical part of our communities. We need to encourage students to keep learning new things and inspire them to become our future leaders.

Our students are exposed to worldwide turmoil via numerous forms of media. Having another caring adult in their life; one who listens to whatever is on their mind and is supportive is of great help to them."

A Touching Memory: "One day, when I arrived at school, I asked how his day was going; he said “Great, now that I get to be with my mentor!”

Sally shares why EVERYONE should be a mentor:
"Being a mentor is a gift that benefits a young person. I have laughed and cried with mentees and have had the honor to be a guest at high school and college graduations as well as a wedding. Being with young adults keeps you in touch with current trends makes me feel younger!"
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And Sally's mentee enjoys their time together just as much as she does. He says:

"Usually, we like to read. We both read.

TeamMates just gets you more excited about school. We talk about things. TeamMates allows you to have fun and skip a bit of school. Sally likes science like me. I really like that."

Cause a Ripple Effect of Positive Influence
teammates.org

05/12/2026

Wisner-Pilger TeamMates had an ART CONTEST this spring! Check out this great work! We had 3 mentees and 2 mentors receiving prizes! congrats all around! Imagine the time spent coloring and talking over these projects!
teammates.org

05/07/2026

Mentor of the month! Thanks, Anne Svoboda Ausdemore!

April TeamMates Mentor of the Month honored

https://www.wpnews.com/news/top_stories/april-teammates-mentor-of-the-month-honored/article_824763e2-3281-4f5d-aaf5-78a7d46c7fcc.html

04/21/2026

Each month TeamMates of Wisner-Pilger wants to recognize our MENTOR OF THE MONTH! In the month of April, we honor Anne Svoboda Ausdemore! She has been a part of TeamMates for 13 years and matched to 6 students over the years.
She has been a blessing to her current mentee for 3 years!

Anne has also been a Program Coordinator for Wisner-Pilger TeamMates. She continues to volunteer with all TEAMMATES activities.

Why do you mentor?
"Mentoring means I can share my personal experiences and knowledge with my mentee when she’s facing personal and school challenges—and I also get to be there when she celebrates reaching her goals. I also enjoy staying connected with the school community.

In a small community like Wisner-Pilger, volunteers are incredibly important. And when those volunteers can help our young people become more confident and positive, everyone benefits!

(My Mentee) is such a talented young woman! I really enjoy hearing about her experiences in theater, speech, vocal music, and instrumental music—and I hope my encouragement offered in our weekly meetings is valuable for her. Memorable moments include watching her intense serious prose speech last year, and her stunning opera performances at District Music. Perhaps my favorite was watching her in the recent school musical. When she belted out her first solo, I thought, “WOW I can not wait to accompany her in her musical career as a high school senior and in college!”

Anne shares why EVERYONE should be a mentor:
"Every person needs a friend who is dependable and trusted to help face life’s challenges and victories. This is especially true for our youth. A good mentor doesn’t need special talents—they just need to be a good listener, have positivity, and be there every week. For less than an hour a week, you will leave knowing you’ve made a difference!"

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And Anne's mentee enjoys their time together just as much as she does. She says:

"My favorite part of Teammates is being able to connect with someone who can help guide me through school, cheer me on, and help me build a path to my future. Anne has been one of my biggest supporters throughout school with all of my activities and helps keep me involved. She has helped push me in the right direction and she always cheers me up when I'm feeling down. The benefits to being in Teammates are: you always have someone to look forward to talking to, making new connections through the events, and getting guidance from someone who is willing to help.

You should join Teammates because they offer scholarships, fun events, and many opportunities to meet new people."

Cause a Ripple Effect of Positive Influence

teammates.org

04/17/2026

Congrats to Wisner and Pilger! THIRTY community members stepping up to mentor our youth is such a gift to our youth and our community! So thankful for all of you!

04/07/2026

The TeamMates Book vending machine is fully stocked and ready for W-P students to pick their favorite books! Look at those smiles!

Teammates.org

04/02/2026

Mentor of the month!
Thanks, Stephanie James!

W-P’s mentor of the month

https://www.wpnews.com/news/top_stories/w-p-s-mentor-of-the-month/article_31b3bdc1-f4d8-45b8-87b6-58e132d20ab0.html

03/25/2026

“You never know the surprises you will encounter when mentoring! Sometimes it is finding a hero and role model in someone you just met,” mentor Ruth Bloedorn shared after meeting and hearing from Miss Nebraska. Miss Nebraska mentors in her community and shared how surrounding herself with good mentors propelled her pageantry career. “She is someone to admire.”

📸 mentee, Miss Nebraska, and Ruth Bloedorn

03/21/2026

Each month TeamMates of Wisner-Pilger wants to recognize our MENTOR OF THE MONTH! In the month of March, we honor Stephanie James! She has been a part of TeamMates for 9 years and matched to 2 students over the years.

She has been a blessing to her current mentee for EIGHT years! Now that is commitment!

"I want our community to have the backs of these young adults. I want everyone to be able to empower them, strengthen the relationships we have with the kids so that they feel valued and capable of anything and supported," Stephanie says.

What activities do you do with your mentee?
What started with basketball turned into the most competitive, ongoing UNO contest ever noted in TeamMates history (unofficially of course).

Memorable moment:
"Every meeting time that I meet Evan is memorable to me but if I have to pick I would say the most recent one is him telling me that he received a full ride scholarship to Northeast Community College. So proud of him!!!"
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And Stephanie's mentee enjoys their time together just as much as she does.

"She is someone who listens to how my week has gone and helps me to remember to work on my homework. (He loves) Knowing that there is someone willing to sit with you and hear about what you have done throughout the week and what your future plans are. (The best part is) Having an UNO competition throughout the year to see who has won the most games," her mentee says.

Her mentee has this to say about TeamMates, "You should try it. It feels awkward in the beginning, but as time goes on you feel much better and you made a friend that you can say 'hi' to when you meet them in public."

Cause a Ripple Effect of Positive Influence
teammates.org