State Sen. Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia, was honored in January as MENTOR Vermont's inaugural State Legislator of the Year for her leadership last year in passing the most significant increase since 2007 in state funding for the mentoring field.
As a result, MENTOR Vermont was able to provide more support this school year to the nearly 150 youth mentoring program sites in the state and match more Vermont youth with mentors.
Kitchel, who serves as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was presented with her award at MENTOR Vermont's Youth Mentoring Celebration at the Statehouse as part of Vermont Mentoring Month activities in the state.