Mentor spotlight: Charlotte from Generations Incorporated

This guest post was submitted by Generations Incorporated.

Charlotte Rose, a member of the Roxbury community, is an AARP Experience Corps volunteer member serving with Generations Incorporated. Nearly nine years ago and newly retired, she became involved as a reading volunteer at the Tobin Elementary School in Roxbury.  She learned that many young students were unable to read at grade level. She felt a strong sense to help.  These were children from her community and she now had time to help.  She received great training from Generations Incorporated and began her work with young struggling readers.

One of the first students that Ms. Rose met was Brianna, a first grader. Brianna really struggled with early reading skills.  She was also physically larger than her classmates.  Because of this, she suffered from low self-esteem.  Ms. Rose began working with Brianna, reading with her twice a week. After just a few reading sessions, things began to change.  Brianna looked forward to her time with Ms. Rose and her confidence grew more and more as each week went by. Her reading skills also improved, dramatically.  Ms. Rose worked with her throughout the school year, reading books together, using flashcards and other early literacy techniques, and providing lots of encouragement.  Over the months, they had developed a strong and meaningful mentoring relationship.  By the end of May, Brianna had made remarkable progress as a reader and felt more comfortable with herself and her abilities.  And it gave Ms. Rose great satisfaction and meaning to her life.

When asked why she serves, Ms. Rose said, “First, I like kids! And by serving I am investing in the children’s’ futures.  I want to help my community.”  She feels it is incredibly important work because as a community member, “You want young children to have a strong early foundation. Having caring community adults in their lives can help to build that foundation.”

Ms. Rose now manages a team of AARP Experience Corps volunteer members at the new Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School in Roxbury.  Team members assist in kindergarten and first grade classrooms to help conduct literacy activities.  She says the program is off to a great start: “We feel very welcomed by the teachers and principal.  They couldn’t wait for us to start!”

 If you would like to become part of this literacy work and can commit a few hours a week to help young children, please contact Katie Klister at 617-399-4700 or kklister@generationsinc.org.

Successful para-athlete and mentor participates in Rodman Ride for Kids

The following guest post was submitted by Partners for Youth with Disabilities, one of MMP’s Partner-level programs that participated in the Rodman Ride for Kids on Sept. 29.

Juan Martin Botero, Partners for Youth with Disabilities mentor and Cambridge resident, rode for the fourth consecutive year for Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) in the Rodman Ride for Kids on Sept. 29. Botero raced a 25-mile cycling course, and rode with William Connors, a PYD Board member, and Steve Taub, a first-time rider and supporter of PYD.

In 2010, Botero finished the 25-mile Rodman Ride course in 3:20, twice as fast as his personal goal. He was diagnosed with Ataxia more than a decade ago, and just over five years ago began using a wheelchair for greater mobility. The neurological dysfunction brought on by Ataxia affects gross motor coordination, so Botero uses adaptive equipment such as his recumbent bike, the Greenspeed Tadpole, for cycling training and racing, as well as his daily commute. Such equipment enables him to continue following his passions for the outdoors and travel, which culminated in his climbs in recent years to Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit and the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Botero wants to encourage young people facing challenges: “For this reason I believe in Partners for Youth with Disabilities. I became a mentor because I hope I can share my strengths and my stories, and I can show them that we can all climb Kilimanjaro in our own terms.” He has served as a mentor through the Mentor Match program at PYD since 2009.

Team PYD can be found at www.rodmanrideforkids.org under “Juan Botero,” “William Connors,” or “Steve Taub” as participants. For more information on PYD, please go to www.pyd.org.

How mentoring changed my life: Eric Clark, Quincy Tutoring

Today I can stand before you and tell you that my name is Eric Clark. I am a college administrator, father of two, and a small business owner.

My life has taken several interesting deviations. Without the help of my mentors, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Growing up in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, I never participated in a formal mentoring program. However, I look back and realize there were several people who “unofficially” took the time to mentor me.

It may seem like I had a fairytale life because I had a loving father who was my most influential mentor. I have to be completely honest though, he wasn’t my biological father. My biological father passed away when I was 18-months old, right after my younger brother was born.

My dad entered our lives and didn’t think twice about the responsibility of taking care of two young boys. He saved my brother and me. My dad showed us many things, but there are a few that stand out. He taught us how to have an amazing work ethic, love for all people, and humility.

My dad passed away about two years ago, and not once did he complain about his 15-year battle with a brain tumor. His final moments were filled with concern for his family, and wanting to make sure that we were taken care of.

Throughout my life, I have interacted with many individuals that I would consider mentors, all of whom taught me many things about life, and molded me into the person I am today.

I have gone through mentor training to become an official mentor. I would like to think that I exhibit the characteristics of a mentor when I am teaching. When I am in the classroom, the content isn’t my only objective. Many of my students need a little extra support and guidance, which I try to provide with each student interaction. As an educator, I try to teach my students how to think critically. It is also important for me to guide my students through the decision-making process. Many students need to be taught that every action has a consequence, good and bad. It crucial that my students learn to think about the big picture, and how their decisions today can alter the rest of their life.

Mentors need to be cognizant of the responsibility they are taking on. Mentoring requires a lot of time and structure, and it will do more harm than good to the mentee if the experience is handled incorrectly.

If I had the opportunity to be mentored by a Red Sox player, I would choose Jason Varitek. Jason conducts himself with integrity, and I don’t remember the last time I have seen him portrayed negatively in the media. He is a tried and true veteran with a lot of experience and advice to share. I can imagine that he has helped a lot of the young players mature throughout his career. Jason wears the “C” for a reason!

Influential mentors have changed my life, and I hope to have the same impact on someone. If you are up to the challenge and willing to dedicate time to mentoring, sign up with the Red Sox Mentoring Challenge today.

Eric Clark is the founder/CEO of Quincy Tutoring, a free national tutor network. If you are a tutor please register by clicking this link. You can also find Quincy Tutoring on Facebook and Twitter.

Why I mentor: Lindsay Snyder, mentor at Big Sister Association of Greater Boston

A few months ago, while eating lunch at a T.G.I. Friday’s with Destyne, my Little from the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston program, she asked me why I chose to become a mentor. We were about to dig into the “Brownie Obsession,” this ridiculously delicious, dense sundae, when I said, “Well, because I was so fortunate to have so many mentors in my life, I wanted to be on the other side and give back…plus, you’re fun to be around and I’ve learned a lot from YOU.”

When I decided to become a mentor, I originally thought about it in terms of “paying it forward.” I have been blessed with several strong female mentors in my life, including my grandmother, mother and three women I used to work with at the Crittenton Women’s Union. I learned acceptance and forgiveness from my grandmother, strength and perseverance from my mother, and how to be a dedicated, passionate advocate for nonprofits from my former colleagues.

Now that I’ve been a mentor for two years, I think about the things – little and big – that I’ve learned from my Little – most of all, she keeps me in check. You need that when life gets hectic.

In my current role as the director of external relations & development at the Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA), I’m responsible for managing the

Lindsay Snyder

organization’s marketing and communications initiatives (including the launch of a statewide campaign this fall!), development and fundraising, as well as MSA’s government relations agenda.

As the state commission on service and volunteerism, MSA supports thousands of people throughout the year who serve as AmeriCorps members and volunteers across the Commonwealth – tutoring and mentoring children, cleaning up beaches, restoring and maintaining trails, building affordable housing, and providing legal assistance to low-income families.

I joined MSA a few months before Congress passed the historic, bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. While it’s been a tumultuous two years since its passage, I feel the movement has grown even stronger…we have banded together with strong partners like Mass Mentoring Partnership and continue to tell our story. It’s made all the difference.

I’d like nothing more than to tell people to get out there. Mentor…volunteer…tutor a child…just do something! For more information on how to become a mentor in the Big Sister program, visit Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. Visit www.mass-service.org to learn more about the role MSA plays across the state.

Extreme athlete and mentor rides again for Partners for Youth with Disabilities

The Rodman Ride for Kids is three weeks from tomorrow, and Mass Mentoring is one of the agencies to benefit from this annual fundraising event. We are lucky to have several mentoring programs riding with the MMP team, including mentor Juan Martin Botero from Partners for Youth with Disabilities. Juan’s story is incredibly inspiring.

Mentor Juan Botero from PYD

Originally from Colombia, Juan has been a Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) mentor for more than three years.

Juan says he mentors because “I hope the kids have gotten from me as much as I have learned and am learning from them.”

He elaborates, “For example my mentee, Eric, recently introduced me to sled hockey. It is something completely new and amazing. Now I want to do it, seeing him, who has been practicing it for the past two years. It made me want to jump on the ice…But I would never have become interested in this if it was not for him. And that is what I hope I can give him eventually.”

Diagnosed with ataxia over a decade ago, Juan has continued to lead an active lifestyle in spite of the physical challenges brought on by this neurological dysfunction. Ataxia has affected Juan’s gross motor coordination, so he now uses adaptive equipment, including a wheelchair, to maximize his mobility. This enables him to continue following his passion for the outdoors.

Juan’s recent athletic accomplishments include a climb to Mt. Kilamanjaro’s summit and one to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, to name a few. An adaptive recumbent bike, the Greenspeed Tadpole, is his vehicle of choice for cycling training and racing, as well as his daily commute.

Juan recently made a presentation to PYD’s Making Healthy Connections group in Boston about his travel, participation in sports, and the importance of staying fit. He pointed out that because of his disability, it’s especially important for him to keep fit to stay healthy, as it is with others. He presented slides from all of his impressive athletic feats and shared his passion for sports and physical activity with the group. The youth were thrilled to see and hear about all of his accomplishments, and benefited from his positive attitude towards challenging oneself physically even—and especially—with a disability.

As part of Mass Mentoring’s team, Juan has competed twice in the Rodman Ride for Kids to benefit PYD. Last year, intense training paid off, and he finished the 25 mile race in 3:20, nearly twice as fast as his minimum goal. This year, Juan will ride 25 miles again to raise funds and awareness for the need for mentors for youth with disabilities. If you would like to make a donation to support Juan’s ride and his charity of choice, Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD), please donate here.

If you would like more information on PYD, please go to www.pyd.org. We hope to see Juan, other riders with and without disabilities, and all of our supporters at the Rodman Ride again on September 24 in Foxboro!