Mentor Coordinator Report
Stories & Quotes To Share:
Extra Support
A senior student and her mentor were matched last year and hit it off right away. I often find them laughing so hard they are crying! She expected to finish high school in Seattle this year after her dad’s planned move, so I was thrilled when she surprised me by returning to NVHS on the first day of school.
Because she hadn’t expected to return, she got a late start on her senior Capstone project and has been working hard to catch up. Her mentor has helped her stay on track, checking in regularly and even connecting her with several community volunteer opportunities to complete the required 15 hours. What a great example of how a mentor can be both a trusted friend and a practical source of support!
College Bound and Thriving
One of our students is thriving as a full-time Running Start student at Bellingham Technical College. He felt ready for the challenge of college-level classes but wasn’t ready to give up his mentoring relationship. With parent permission, students in Running Start can continue meeting with their mentors off campus. This student and his mentor have been meeting about every other week at places like a local park or coffee shop. It’s encouraging to see this student continue to prioritize his mentoring relationship while embracing new challenges and opportunities! And it’s wonderful that he has his mentor to help him navigate all the new challenges that college can bring.
Highlights:
• Pumpkin Decorating Contest all month with pumpkins donated from Stoney Ridge Farm, October 14 – 30.
• New Mentor Orientation at Lynden Middle School on October 15. (2 new mentors)
• 5 new matches in October
• Mentor Coordinator Meeting on October 26, 12 – 2 pm
Missy’s highlight:
Each fall I look forward to pumpkin decorating and I’m continually impressed by the creativity our students and mentors put into this project! My office is currently overflowing with some pretty amazing pumpkins. This year, we added a contest with prizes, which provided extra motivation and excitement for some students and mentors. It’s such a fun way to celebrate fall and see everyone’s personalities shine!
Upcoming:
•New Mentor Orientation November 9th from 10 – noon @ LMS
•Mentor Equipping with Jake Leland Director of Safety & Security, Lynden School District. Nov 16, 6:30 – 8 pm & Nov 17, 9- 10:30 am. Topic: “Teen Substance Use: Vapes, Drugs and Alcohol”
•Optional November activity for matches: gratitude prompts and ‘grateful’ leaves for
bulletin board
•Holidays: Veterans Day and Thanksgiving (no mentor meetings on Nov.11, and 26&27.
Number of Current Matches: 32
Submitted by Missy Rus – redefineandrenew@gmail.com