College Summit

Author : Shantae Edwards

Reach One, Teach One

Posted by: College Summit Education Posted date: May 05, 2011

Yesterday I had dinner with a young lady who just completed her 2nd year at Howard University. This young lady is from the great city, Chicago, and is an alumnus of

Topics: Peer Leadership and Youth Development

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<p>Yesterday I had dinner with a young lady who just completed her 2nd year at <a href="http://www.howard.edu/" target="_blank">Howard University</a>.  This young lady is from the great city, Chicago, and is an alumnus of <a href="http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Pages/school.aspx?unit=1270" target="_blank">Richard T. Crane Technical Preparatory High School</a>.  Why is this important?  Well not only am I from Chicago but I graduated from that same high school ages ago.</p>
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<p>Long story short, our dinner hangout was long overdue.  From the conversation I learned that she did not have any family in the DC Metro area, and after her first year, she considered transferring to a school in Illinois.  That news brought sadness to my heart; I remember what it was like being away in school.  How lonely I felt,  and I was JUST two hours away, I can’t imagine going back in time and  being 13 hours away. When I heard her story last night, I immediately made a promise to be her family and become one of her mentors.</p>
<p><a title="mentoring by msjones166, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/msjones166/5690830034/"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/5690830034_6ed0f59e71.jpg" alt="mentoring" width="500" height="357" /></a></p>
<p><br />There are many <a href="http://www.mentoring.org/program_resources" target="_blank">resources</a> online to help you be a more effective mentor. But great mentors come in many different shapes and sizes.  You don’t have to be wealthy or have a 5 page resume to reach out to someone. You don't even have to be an adult; College Summit Peer Leaders can mentor their peers, or younger students in the school. To be a great mentor, start with being yourself and sharing your story, just as I did with my mentee last night.</p>
<p>Did you know there is even a mentoring month? The <a href="http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/" target="_blank">National Mentoring Month</a>  is January, but you can do it whenever. Take the time to volunteer as little as an hour of your time to teach someone.  Maybe you will learn something in return.  Give someone the pleasure of having you in their lives. Remember the youth of today is the future of our tomorrow.</p>
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