ICYMI: In Phoenix, Kelly Packs Back-to-School Supplies with Teachers, Hosts Roundtable on Mentorship and Service

Kelly heard from Arizona teachers and community leaders about the growing need for positive male role models and highlighted his bipartisan legislation to recruit more men into teaching, mentoring, and community service

In case you missed it, today Arizona Senator Mark Kelly joined teachers, coaches, mentors, and community leaders at Sandra Day O'Connor High School in Phoenix to assemble back-to-school supply packages for Arizona educators. He also led a roundtable discussion on strengthening communities through service and expanding opportunities for more men to become teachers, mentors, and volunteers and the need to create more opportunities for boys and young men to connect with positive role models.

Earlier this month, Kelly introduced a two-bill package-the Educators for America Act and the Building Community in America Act-to expand pathways for Americans to serve as teachers, mentors, and volunteers, with a focus on increasing the number of men participating.

During the discussion, Kelly heard from Arizona Teacher of the Year, Emmett Burnton, who shared that many boys are searching for identity and purpose but often struggle to find positive role models. Burnton described asking students to identify historical figures they related to, only to have some teenage boys break down because they didn't know who they wanted to become. He also spoke about the growing influence of online communities filling the mentorship gap and the importance of educators helping students find purpose both inside and outside the classroom.

Kelly also heard from Michael, a Phoenix father who spoke about intentionally surrounding his 18-year-old son with positive role models through sports and music. He reflected that many young people today turn to social media for guidance instead of neighbors, coaches, and mentors, emphasizing that rebuilding strong communities starts with reconnecting young people to caring adults.

Elementary school educators also shared about the growing impact of social media on young students, including increased behavioral challenges and mental health concerns, reinforcing the need for trusted adults who can help young people navigate those pressures.

Kelly's Educators for America Act and the Building Community in America Act addresses teacher shortages, declining community engagement, and increasing concerns about loneliness and disconnection among young people. Men today make up just 23 percent of public-school teachers and 28 percent of AmeriCorps volunteers, despite the important role teachers, mentors, and volunteers play in young people's development. These bills reflect the work of many organizations that have spent years highlighting these challenges and advancing practical, community-based solutions.