Mentoring Stories
What is Mentoring Really Like?
Though each mentoring story is different, they are all inspiring. The stories below detail how the mentoring effect has a profound impact not only on mentees, but also mentors.
Joe and Robin
As a young inner-city child in a single-parent household, Joe was one of many young people facing an opportunity gap – as he describes it, “the odds were stacked against me.” Robin became Joe’s mentor when he was just 8 years old, and they both saw immediate changes, notably in the improvement of Joe’s grades. But the changes, a “ripple effect,” as Joe notes, would extend far beyond that.
17 years later, both men reflect on the impact of the mentoring effect in their lives.
Christina and Elaine
Elaine met Christina when she was in the first grade, 17 years ago. Christina was incredibly shy and anxious. Elaine, who never had a daughter, wasn’t sure how Christina might respond to their meetings, but soon hours would fly by in what felt like minutes.
Now 22, Christina is a confident and caring adult who is giving back by mentoring two young girls at the same school she met Elaine at. “She made all the difference in the world to me, and now I want to do the same for others,” Christina says.
Christina and Elaine reflect on how important they have become in each others lives.
Chelsy and Theresa
Chelsy has been Theresa’s mentor since 2009 and the two have spent hundreds of hours together. Chelsy is always encouraging Theresa to act on behalf of others and pushing her to use her talents to achieve and succeed. When Theresa confided that she hoped to attend a prestigious high school in Harlem, Chelsy was determined to make it happen. After Theresa completed the entrance examination, they spent months preparing for the interview. Chelsy drove Theresa to the interview, waited for her, and drove her home. Weeks later, they celebrated Theresa’s admittance to the class of 2019!
Chelsy is the 2015 winner of Cabot Creamery Cooperative & MENTOR’s National Mentoring Story Contest.
Edgar and Ulises
Edgar and Ulises first met at the local community center when Ulises was six, determinedly trying to teach himself English from flashcards, and in love with the book: The Lady with the Alligator Purse. They got along so well that, after only a few weeks, a Match Specialist from Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters offered to match them and the rest is history. In the eleven years since then, their relationship has grown stronger through 5K races, college applications, community service, and networking events. They also created a video sharing their story and won a spot on the 2016 Mentoring Road Trip with the Los Angeles Lakers to visit Chicago! Ulises recently graduated high school and began his studies to become an immigration lawyer, a dream his mentor empowered him to pursue.
Edgar is the 2016 winner of Cabot Creamery Cooperative & MENTOR’s National Mentoring Story Contest.
Robert and Demetrius
Robert and Demetrius have done a little bit of everything together since they met in 2010. From a first-time fishing trip in earlier years, to touring college campuses, the duo continues to find ways to connect and grow. Robert has remained a consistent fixture in the life of his mentee, providing guidance and consistency in Demetrius’ life. But the impact goes both ways, with Robert noting that his relationship with Demetrius has helped him grow and gain insight into how young people view the world. In the spring of 2015, Demetrius graduated high school and received acceptance letters from three community colleges and two universities. When they were first matched, Demetrius asked how long Robert planned to be around. Robert’s reply was simple and stands true, “This is for life. I am not going anywhere.”
Robert is the 2015 runner-up in the Cabot Creamery Cooperative & MENTOR’s National Mentoring Story Contest.