Mentor Coordinator Report
Number of Current Matches: 38
Highlights:
– 38 Mentoring Pairs
– 3 new matches made in February
– 5 approved students waiting for their match
This month brought a lot of transition. Michele has been a pillar of strength and positivity for the program at Ferndale, but it was very important that she put her health as the priority right now, and we commend her for making that difficult decision. I (Stacey- LC coordinator and Annie’s maternity leave sub) will be holding Michele’s space and teaming with Annie to continue growing Be The One at Ferndale. On top of coordinators transitioning we moved from one semester to the next which means new schedules, classes, and routines. Annie has been working diligently to schedule all the matches, but working with 70-80 different schedules (between mentors and mentees) takes time. All pairs are now on the schedule for 2nd semester and if they haven’t met yet they will be soon!
End of year is upon us, and I know that seems wild to think about. We have scheduled the end-of-year interviews for mentees and PFS is scheduling with mentors, brainstorming end- of year closure activities, and already started to take the match photos for the year.
We want to give a HUGE shout out to the FHS Office Staff that has stepped up in helping Be the One by greeting mentors when mentor coordinators, tracking down students who don’t show up for meetings and all-around supporting Be the One. Multiple staff members volunteer to help Be the One in other ways too. We are so grateful for their support. Anita Locker delivered charcuterie and a card for them as a “thank you” as well.
In February, Lynden hosted two identical Mentor Equipping sessions on focused on Trauma, Grief, and Resilience. Mike Black a LMHC and former school counselor was the presenter. Several dozen mentors from Whatcom County were able to attend including those from Ferndale. Mike hosts a free 5-week class called, Beauty for Ashes, at Bellingham Christ the King (CTK) which I have attended and encourage others to attend as well. Our equipping session was a shortened version of his seminar at CTK.
Upcoming:
– Mentor Equipping: March 11th + 12th
– End of Year: Photos, interviews, celebration
Stories & Quotes To Share:
Hit it off!
Based on research by a national mentoring partnership called MENTOR, most mentors and mentees spend around 6 months developing trust before real “mentorship” begins. Every once and awhile, a mentor and student will hit it off. This month, a student transferred to FHS after having a mentor previously at another school. We matched her with a veteran mentor. When the mentor coordinator checked in towards the end of their first meeting, the student chimed in right away, “When do we meet again?”. The mentor verified that the student spent the hour sharing her life story. This is not to discourage the mentors who are still learning about their mentee and figuring each other out. However, it is exciting when the connection is exceptionally strong at the beginning!
Worth the Wait
Be the One matches mentors and students based on personality, interests and life goals. Most students just want someone to talk to, but some want something more specific. One student has been waiting all year for a mentor. She was adamant that she wanted someone who was a runner. A mentor coordinator learned that an athletic woman in an FHS club knew the student, so the coordinator asked if she wanted to be her mentor. Both the mentor and student agreed they wanted to be matched! The first meeting was very easy, they walked and talked about many topics. In this case, knowing each other in an FHS club setting paved the way for an excellent mentoring relationship. The wait was worth it!
Submitted by Annie Anderson – annie.anderson@ferndalesd.org