[indieFan]

I do realize that the students have school where they have to be at school earlier than I have to wake up to be at my college classes. I do realize that they have homework to do since I was once a middle school teacher. I do realize that the long nights spent building the robot have been cut down to just a few times a year since the adults realized that they did not serve us very well.

(Note that I am speaking as the college student here.)
That said, do you realize that some of us mentors attend the meetings with more regularity than some of our students? Do you realize that some of us give up valuable study time (or, in my case, tv viewing time ;-) to attend the meetings? Do you realize that college professors often schedule projects and exams for the same week or two not because they are callous, but simply because it is what is most convenient for them? Do you realize that some mentors have work on top of all of this?

I am lucky because my students do seem, for the most part, to know a lot of what I do for them. I do hear them say "hello" or "thank you" to me periodically.

I, in turn, am lucky enough to have a great mentor myself due to having worked on the teams I have. I also realize that I am getting a great deal out of mentoring others. Sometimes to the point that I think I am getting more than I am giving!

Keiko, I think that you have the right idea with a card or a hug or simply saying "thank you". The big thing is to just know the personalities of your mentors. For example, I need to hear "thank you" from time to time to know that I am of value to the team. Another coach on the team can take it or leave it. If you're unsure, err on the side of doing something that you've already mentioned. If you're referring to showing appreciation at the end of the year, let me know and I'll let you know what my teams have done over the years.

indieFan