Stories to share:
Mentee Graduated, BTO Relationship Continues!
Mentors and students are creating long-lasting bonds that extend outside of Be the One. Ezra is the first to admit he has a very busy schedule as a business owner, board member of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, and family man. Ezra Moore’s mentee graduated in June 2021 and they are still connected. They don’t meet once a week, but they interact via texting and occasionally hang out. Ezra recently helped his mentee navigate how to buy a used car and how to get his driver’s license. He is also an advocate for Be the One and referred a fellow businesswoman to be a mentor. Some of our best BTO mentors come from referrals! Even though Ezra is no longer meeting with a student at FHS, he is referring mentors and continuing his relationship with his mentee!
Student gives feedback to Mentor
How do our mentors know they are making an impact? One mentor asked the mentor coordinator to get feedback from her mentee. The mentee said, “We had an instant bond and it’s even stronger now. I am opening up about family issues that I have never really talked about with other people.” The mentor said, “It made my day – and my week!”
An instant Match!
At 12:30pm, I talked to a mentor who was ready to meet a new mentee. She wanted this new student to desire job coaching, accountability, and goal setting. This is typically something upperclassmen are searching for, but most of our mentees start out as freshman and sophomores. I explained that she would need to wait as we looked into it. At 1:45pm, a senior walked through my door and said she wanted a mentor! I interviewed her on the spot and she said she wanted a “stern guiding hand,” because she had “never found someone to keep her accountable.” These two were an instant match!
Total Matched Pairs: 21 matches
15 are meeting in-person
3 are using Zoom
1 is using email
Goals met for November
· Start 1-5 new matches (2 New matches!)
· Set up TextBridge for 1-5 pairs (1 permission slip given, waiting for return)
· 1-5 people decided to become a mentor after BTO Orientation (3 are interviewed, waiting for fingerprints!)
· Onboard 1-5 new FHS students (3 students onboarded, 2 of which were matched!)
(Onboarded means permission slip turned in & interview completed)
Goals for December
· Start 1-5 new matches
· 1-20 students ask for a mentor
o 1-10 students start onboarding process
· 1-2 people decide to become a mentor after Dec. BTO Orientation
· Take 1-5 photos of mentors/students. Post on Social Media. Print out photos for FHS BTO Bulletin Board.
Last month BTO Ferndale focused on making new matches, onboarding mentors and reestablishing meetings for mentors/mentees with special circumstances. I am very excited for the onboarding mentors because they are enthusiastic, empathetic, and committed. Five mentors and students were reunited this month! Two are set up to Zoom weekly, one student is walking to school to see her mentor (she is in Eagle academy), and the other two are meeting as usual. Three school days were canceled in November due to flooding.
In December, the focus is to spread the word about BTO to FHS students. We are expecting an influx of student interest. There is a small pool of existing mentors and we predict three more mentors will be on-boarded by December. Efforts are being made to create new mentoring matches!
Program Development
· 2 new matches this month
· Mentee recruitment
o Presenting about BTO in classrooms on 12/1 & 12/2
o Info included in morning announcements
o Info included in electronic student newsletter called “Sway”
o Info included in Eagle Time announcements in December
o Informational handout will be given to counselors and administrators
· BTO New Mentor Orientation on November 5 at the Meeting Place – 3 people attended – 100% are continuing to onboard
· Next BTO New Mentor Orientation scheduled for December 10. (One person signed up)
· Mentor Coordinators are checking in with each other and collaborating on a regular basis