Its funny, this thread hits on so many points I brought up in my speech at the CT Regional... its beautiful!
First... answering the thread question: Why do we mentor?
When I started 229, my goal was "To Inspire just one student the way I had been inspired"... I obviously got that and soooo much more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jwfoss
Messages like this are why I mentor, and why i will continue to be a part of FIRST.
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Another part of my speech was when I was leaving high school, I stopped and hand wrote a letter to 3 of our lead mentors, thanking each of them specifically for what they had done for me, for the inspiration they had given me, for helping me find a career in engineering. I encouraged all of the students (especially the seniors) to take the time to do the same thing (I wonder if Matt heard my message
).
I've received many emails and letters from parents and students since I started mentoring. My favorite was a semi-legible one scrawled on a piece of notepad paper that came from a student around the time of his graduation. He thanked me for being one of the only people that believed in him, and gave me a silver bracelet with the letter that had the simple world "Believe" pressed into it. That letter meant the world to me, and I will never forget it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by penguinfrk
"You'll never know the true impact that mentors have on you until you become one."
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This is so true and such a great addition to this thread. I have to say, seeing the "lightbulb" go on for a student... to see them grow and change... to see them head off to college... to hear of their successes... its so much more rewarding than I ever could have dreamed.
Everyone that gets "hooked" in high school has to decide their level of involvement from year to year. From the thread that JVN referenced, there are many different valuable points of view, that to me all come down to you need to decide for yourself. Many of us were able to successfully mentor in college. Several were not. If you can balance college work, college life & FIRST, its worth it. If you can't, you'd better focus on college work! But no matter what point in your life you get back into mentoring, its amazing to see the inspiration in a students eyes, and well worth the effort.
High School Seniors... Follow Matt's lead and make sure your mentors know how much they meant to you!!