Mentor Coordinator Report
Stories & Quotes To Share:
Years in the Making
Mentoring relationships that grow over many years are truly beautiful to witness. One of our mentoring pairs has been meeting since the student was in eighth grade. Now a senior, she recently qualified for state wrestling in Tacoma, WA. What made this moment even more meaningful was who showed up. Despite recovering from recent hip surgery, her mentor and the mentor’s husband made the trip to cheer her on from the sidelines. The bond these two have built is strong and lasting—and it’s clear their connection will continue well beyond June and graduation.
Finding the Right Mentor
Some mentor matches come together easily. Others require patience, care, and a lot of intentional thought. For the past few months, I’ve been working to find the right mentor for a student who has experienced significant trauma and, as a result, sometimes struggles behaviorally both in and out of school. I knew this was not a situation for a quick or convenient match—the right fit truly mattered. When a mentor signed up who had walked through a very similar childhood, I felt hopeful that I had found the right fit. Today, I sat down with the student and shared a little about this potential mentor. Before I could finish, her face lit up. With a big smile she said, “That’s just like my life!” In that moment, it was clear: even though the story was hard, the student felt seen. Sometimes the most powerful gift I can offer a student is simple—someone who truly gets their story and can meet them right where they are. I am excited for this match to get started next week!
Highlights:
• Feb 9&10: Mentor Equipping at LMS – Healthy Boundaries by Tara Bowler; 24 mentors attended between the two sessions and learned a great deal
• Feb 11: New Mentor Orientation at LMS
• Feb 25: Mentor Coordinator Meeting in Lynden with Coordinators from LHS, LMS and FHS. Shared planning tips for the rest of the year
• BTO Merch: started collecting orders for the new matches made after the fall, due by 3/13
• 37 current matches
• 3 mentors on waitlist
• 2 mentees on waitlist
• 3 new matches in February
• 2 matches ended due to mentors being unable to continue due to a move and work load increasing at job
• Still looking for a Spanish speaking male mentor
Upcoming:
• March 26: NVHS Mentor Thank You Dinner at Herb Niemann’s sponsored by Handy Homes
• May 27: Year end field trip at 508 Lynden- mentors will meet mentees at 508 for a year end celebration
Number of Current Matches: 37
Submitted by Missy Rus – Melissa.Rus@nv.k12.wa.us