I recently got a note from one of a Hillcrester who mentors a student in our community. The mentor wrote "(my mentee) is the same that I have mentored since I started 2 years ago...so, we have had quite the journey! She started at (one elementary school) in 4th and beginning of 5th. Then around Dec. of 5th grade she moved to (a different elementary school) and I went with ! This year have transitioned to Middle School. It's is a huge difference in mentoring experiences than any of the other schools for numerous reasons, but it's gonna be good!"
As I've shared before, mentoring can be tough work. Especially as students move to middle school, somehow playing games of "Sorry!" or tetherball don't cut it. Students today deal with issues that older generations dealt with at much later ages. There is a need, a real need, not just a perceived need, for adults who will give a rip about students.
The non-profit that we mentor through likes to send monthly updates of how mentors make a difference in the life of a child. And I think that's a great recruting tool and makes that one mentor feel terrific. But most mentors probably will never get that kind of feedback, but stick with it because they inherently know the difference they are making, and because, they too, are changed as a result. It's gonna be good, indeed.
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