Anyone in Nebraska can work with a dedicated Blackburn mentor by video. Most of the state, including Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island and Kearney, is on Central time; the western Panhandle, around Scottsbluff and Alliance, uses Mountain time. We schedule every session in your local time, with text and phone check-ins between them.
A state that stretches west
Nebraska’s people are concentrated in the east, around Omaha and Lincoln, while the rest of the state runs west along the Platte River and I-80 through farm towns, the Sandhills and on into the Panhandle. From Omaha to Scottsbluff is a long day’s drive and a time zone change. For families in the central and western parts of the state, specialized help for a teenager or young adult is often hours away. A video mentor is not.
Work and industry
Agriculture is the foundation: corn, soybeans and cattle, along with the food processing, equipment and rail transport that support them. Omaha adds insurance, financial services, construction, engineering and health care, plus a large Air Force base nearby. Lincoln, the capital, has state government, education and a growing technology sector. Smaller cities like Grand Island, Kearney and North Platte serve wide rural regions with health care, retail and agribusiness.
For young adults this often means a choice: stay close to home in a smaller community, move to Omaha or Lincoln, or leave the state for a larger metro. A mentor can help think that through without pushing an answer.
Education in Nebraska
Nebraska has many public school districts, including very small rural ones, plus private and religious schools, with Catholic schools especially present in the east. Higher education includes a public university system with campuses around the state, state colleges, community colleges and private colleges, several of them religiously affiliated. Many Nebraska students stay in state for college; others head to neighboring states or farther, and some come in from rural parts of nearby states.
Who a mentor can help
- High school students who need structure, motivation or a plan for after graduation, with a parent involved from the intro call onward. See mentoring for high school students.
- College students, especially those moving from a small town to a much larger campus or city. See mentoring for college students.
- Young adults working, living at home, or weighing a move. See young adult mentoring.
- Professionals looking for accountability on a career change, a promotion or a personal goal.
How the sessions run
Each person has one mentor. Together they set goals, break them into weekly steps and meet by video for 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week. Between sessions the mentor follows up by text or phone. With permission, mentors share progress with parents and coordinate with professionals already involved.
Central time Nebraska is two hours ahead of Los Angeles and the Panhandle is one hour ahead, so after-school and evening sessions are easy to arrange. Planting and harvest seasons can make a farm family’s week unpredictable; sessions can shift around them. Details are on our online mentoring page and our page on mentoring for families.
Pages for areas in Nebraska
Nearby: Des Moines, Kansas City and Sioux Falls. See all states under mentoring by state.
Related
- Online mentoring in Omaha
- Online mentoring in Missouri
- College transition mentoring
- A teen’s first job
Common questions
Does Nebraska use one time zone or two?
Two. Most of the state is on Central time, and the western Panhandle is on Mountain time. Sessions are scheduled in whichever one you live in.
Can sessions work around harvest or a busy season?
Yes. Sessions are online and can move earlier, later or to a weekend, and the mentor keeps contact by text or phone during busy weeks.
My son is moving from a small town to Lincoln for college. Can a mentor help?
Yes. That transition is a natural time to bring in a mentor. The mentor helps with routines, time management and settling in, and with permission keeps parents updated.
Get started
Would you like to talk about a student or young adult in Nebraska? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.