News Article Release

Midshipman Recognized for Innovative Mentoring

March 21, 2012

From Naval Academy Public Affairs

Naval Academy Midshipman 1st Class Charles Wolz received the Innovative Mentoring Award March 15 at the 7th Annual Mentoring Awards sponsored by the Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County.

Wolz, of Poolesville, Md., received the award for his extensive work with teenagers in the county’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Program.

The mentorship program is a collaboration between the Volunteer Center, the Naval Academy’s Midshipmen Action Group and the Juvenile Drug Court Partnership. Wolz has been the lead midshipman to coordinate this project for two years. He spends many of his Saturdays and personal liberty time working with up to five mentees at a time.

“I’ve worked with this program for the past two years because I believed in its purpose of helping others and giving back to a community that has given so much to the Brigade of Midshipmen,” said Wolz. “With this program I found a meaningful way for me to make a difference here at the Naval Academy.”

When working with his mentees, Wolz said he never focused on the reasons they were in the program to begin with.

“Everyone has some inherent talent, ability and good inside. As future naval officers, it’s our job to bring out the best in everyone around us,” he said. “Every day we are able to make a positive impact on the command, community and the people around us, we have succeeded in accomplishing part of the mission as a global force for good.”

Paula Fish, supervisor of the Juvenile Drug Treatment Program for Anne Arundel County, said that Wolz’s contributions to mentoring at-risk teenagers helped them complete the program and get their lives back on track.

“The mentoring program is tremendously successful in shaping the lives of the youth in the Juvenile Treatment Court program,” said Fish. “Midshipman Wolz has been an immeasurable asset to our organization.”

For more information about the Midshipman Action Group, visit www.usna.edu/MAG.