Am I mentor?

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Cheermaster111

This is a question that I have been trying to answer this past year. I am a alumni from Team 111 WildStang. I graduated in 2009. This past year I returned to WildStang to lead the student section of our Strategy Team. Basically I help got the students organized for competitions and help them decide on what data we want and how we want to collect it. I also help them stay focused at the competitions. Do I classify myself as a mentor or just as a volunteer? I know I am legally not chaperone since I am only 19, but do I deserve to be called a mentor?

Each team handles things differently.

Are you a mentor? strickly going by the definition of mentor, you've probably been one for some time now (probably long before you left high school). Teaching and explaining things to others makes you a mentor.

Are you a FIRST mentor, on your team? That depends on the teams philosophy about returning teammembers and college students. I know on our team, we have a yearlong period (call it a trial period or whatever) to ensure that those who want to be a mentor understand the level of responsibility/time/effort/etc without the full obligation (some find mentoring overwhelming while others find it invigorating). We call them a team resource, FIRST would call them a mentor.

So are you a mentor? TBH, once the build/competition season is finished, your students are probably the best ones to answer that.