Recorded history is replete with mentoring relationships that have shaped the world we know. From ancient times when Socrates mentored Plato to the modern day, countless prominent men and women, in every imaginable field, cite having had an important mentor in their lives.

Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters, a mentoring organization for at-risk children, champions more than a century of positive results. That is, they note thousands upon thousands of success stories under their vast umbrella — i.e., troubled youth who have seen their lives positively enriched by pairing with caring adult mentors. No matter where conscientious mentoring occurs — and no matter the ages of those in the relationship — it's a positive force for good and an absolute necessity in ensuring that human existence is more humane and that both the present and future worlds are better places to live and to work.