When I had to start my capstone this year, it was a no brainer on what I wanted to do to give back to the community. Ever since my sophomore year, I have been involved with the middle school mentoring program, making my greatest impact junior year. The feeling of connecting with youth and steering them in the right direction lead me to the mentor for my capstone. I alone knew I cannot make an impact on several youth at once so my capstone idea developed even further to coordinating the mentor program at Sport and Medical Science Academy. For my capstone, I interview possible mentees and pair them up with a mentor who would best fit them, thus creating a larger impact on our community.
Through my capstone project, I have learned how to be a mature role model and a leader to peers and children. Academically I learned that I must lead by example through my own grades and classes to help inspire the students I work with to do the same. This project has taught me about not only how to work with several students but it also gave me many life lessons. One of the most important lessons I learned was that I can say something that may mean nothing to me but the world to someone else. Working with children from all different kinds of backgrounds and homes, most needed the extra push and to hear the words of encouragement that I gave them. I recall one time, one of my mentee’s reiterated word for word a speech I gave to them to build their self-esteem word for word. To that student, it meant the world to him and this is something that I keep in mind when speaking to any youth. I also learned that regardless if the other mentors are my friends or not, I have to ensure that they are steering their mentee in the right direction. The research I did for my project, surprisingly, was almost completely accurate and helped me connect with the student I work with more. Many students come from different types of homes, where they pick up on many habits. The children who have a home who supports them academically and constantly provides encouragement tend to do better in school than those who do not come from such a home. With my research, I have learned when dealing with any child to first understand where their misbehavior comes from and then understand why they side with that behavior. I have also learned to have any child open up to someone, I have to disclose about myself before. Over the years, I have picked up on the fact that I will never be able to change or steer a kid in the right direction without creating a bond that makes them feel emotionally cared for and heard.
One specific experience that sticks with me even today, is the experience I had with one of my mentee this year. He was a child who struggled academically and behaviorally but aspired to play sports in high school and college. At first, he did not necessarily try and did not have any confidence in himself when it came to school work. I knew I had to build a bond with him first, so I spent three weeks forming a bond with him. This bond that I formed with changed him completely. He quickly began to aspire to be a mentor, which made me proud of what I do. The bond I formed with him made him feel as though he had the big brother that he never had and he cried saying he didn’t want me to forget him when I go off into college. This moment had not only an impact on me personally but it had an impact on my motivation to continue providing that base for children so they have someone who believes they can succeed. Moments like these are the moments that keep me going as a mentor, putting a smile on a child’s face and making them feel as though they belong really motivates me to connect with more children who are struggling academically and behaviorally. Moment like these, where a kid comes up to me and says “I want to be a mentor just like you” and changes their ways behaviorally, are the instances where I feel as I am providing a great service to the community. Lighting a fire of passion with the intent to help others and teach dedication, responsibility, discipline and respect to others, makes me feel as though my passion is branching off into these kids. In the future when they become mentors, they too will branch off and create their own branches spreading that same fire I lit in them. Many have seen the improvements in, not only the children I work with, but within children from the entire mentoring program.
The most challenging part of being the leader of the mentoring program is having to pick mentors who will lead by example, be consistent with their mentees, and guide them in the right direction. During this experience, I questioned at times, why I chose a certain individual as a mentor, and if some mentors are connecting with the students they work with. It was also challenging to confront a mentor, who is a friend, about how they’re interacting and mentoring their mentee. With the insight, I have now, I would have mentors have at least three current teacher recommendations for them to be a mentor and require them to go through some type of training where they learn some of the situations that can arise as they mentor. I also would want them to learn certain tactics that other mentors have used that were successful.
This project impacted me greatly as it took a while to connect with the mentees I have this year and form a bond with each one of them. Although it was a lot of work, I believe it was all worth it, getting to know each individually and being able to be outlet for them. This project has impacted the way I think of situations now and how I see people who act out. Before the project, as any person I would judge them, but learning from this project, I have learned that not every child comes from the great family homes. This project has also has had an impact on my future and my goals for college. In college, I still want to be able to help the youth in the community and my career choice will also reflect the same intentions. This project has changed me into a respectable young man who looks for the best in others and helps them realize it. This capstone project was never a project in my mind but a choice, to help the younger generation with anything that I always wanted when I was in their place. I have enjoyed this experience and would love to go through it all again.
Through my capstone project, I have learned how to be a mature role model and a leader to peers and children. Academically I learned that I must lead by example through my own grades and classes to help inspire the students I work with to do the same. This project has taught me about not only how to work with several students but it also gave me many life lessons. One of the most important lessons I learned was that I can say something that may mean nothing to me but the world to someone else. Working with children from all different kinds of backgrounds and homes, most needed the extra push and to hear the words of encouragement that I gave them. I recall one time, one of my mentee’s reiterated word for word a speech I gave to them to build their self-esteem word for word. To that student, it meant the world to him and this is something that I keep in mind when speaking to any youth. I also learned that regardless if the other mentors are my friends or not, I have to ensure that they are steering their mentee in the right direction. The research I did for my project, surprisingly, was almost completely accurate and helped me connect with the student I work with more. Many students come from different types of homes, where they pick up on many habits. The children who have a home who supports them academically and constantly provides encouragement tend to do better in school than those who do not come from such a home. With my research, I have learned when dealing with any child to first understand where their misbehavior comes from and then understand why they side with that behavior. I have also learned to have any child open up to someone, I have to disclose about myself before. Over the years, I have picked up on the fact that I will never be able to change or steer a kid in the right direction without creating a bond that makes them feel emotionally cared for and heard.
One specific experience that sticks with me even today, is the experience I had with one of my mentee this year. He was a child who struggled academically and behaviorally but aspired to play sports in high school and college. At first, he did not necessarily try and did not have any confidence in himself when it came to school work. I knew I had to build a bond with him first, so I spent three weeks forming a bond with him. This bond that I formed with changed him completely. He quickly began to aspire to be a mentor, which made me proud of what I do. The bond I formed with him made him feel as though he had the big brother that he never had and he cried saying he didn’t want me to forget him when I go off into college. This moment had not only an impact on me personally but it had an impact on my motivation to continue providing that base for children so they have someone who believes they can succeed. Moments like these are the moments that keep me going as a mentor, putting a smile on a child’s face and making them feel as though they belong really motivates me to connect with more children who are struggling academically and behaviorally. Moment like these, where a kid comes up to me and says “I want to be a mentor just like you” and changes their ways behaviorally, are the instances where I feel as I am providing a great service to the community. Lighting a fire of passion with the intent to help others and teach dedication, responsibility, discipline and respect to others, makes me feel as though my passion is branching off into these kids. In the future when they become mentors, they too will branch off and create their own branches spreading that same fire I lit in them. Many have seen the improvements in, not only the children I work with, but within children from the entire mentoring program.
The most challenging part of being the leader of the mentoring program is having to pick mentors who will lead by example, be consistent with their mentees, and guide them in the right direction. During this experience, I questioned at times, why I chose a certain individual as a mentor, and if some mentors are connecting with the students they work with. It was also challenging to confront a mentor, who is a friend, about how they’re interacting and mentoring their mentee. With the insight, I have now, I would have mentors have at least three current teacher recommendations for them to be a mentor and require them to go through some type of training where they learn some of the situations that can arise as they mentor. I also would want them to learn certain tactics that other mentors have used that were successful.
This project impacted me greatly as it took a while to connect with the mentees I have this year and form a bond with each one of them. Although it was a lot of work, I believe it was all worth it, getting to know each individually and being able to be outlet for them. This project has impacted the way I think of situations now and how I see people who act out. Before the project, as any person I would judge them, but learning from this project, I have learned that not every child comes from the great family homes. This project has also has had an impact on my future and my goals for college. In college, I still want to be able to help the youth in the community and my career choice will also reflect the same intentions. This project has changed me into a respectable young man who looks for the best in others and helps them realize it. This capstone project was never a project in my mind but a choice, to help the younger generation with anything that I always wanted when I was in their place. I have enjoyed this experience and would love to go through it all again.