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Hillsborough Education Foundation December 2011
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Mentor
UPDATE
| | Greetings! | |
The staff of the Hillsborough Education Foundation and the Take Stock in Children mentoring program wish to extend happy holiday greetings to our wonderful mentors, mentees and their families.
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Important Announcements
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Important dates to consider for school visits:
- Students return from Thanksgiving holiday: Nov. 28
- Winter Break: Dec. 19 - Dec. 30th
- Students return from Winter Break: Jan. 2, 2012
The holidays may be filled with joy and "busy-ness," but remember not to skip your last visit of the year with your mentee. Here are some suggestions for your last calendar year visit:
- Ask your mentee about their special holiday traditions and the role they play in the festivities.
- Talk to your mentee about any volunteer activities in which you participate during the holiday season, and ask if they plan to do any volunteering during this time.
- Consider taking a card, a small gift or gift card to your last visit of the year. Suggestions: a gift certificate for a meal at a favorite fast-food restaurant, a tin of cookies or baked goods or a movie ticket. Please remember that a gift is completely optional. Do not spend more than $10, as a parent might consider it extravagant and you do not want to set an expectation for the future.
Ask your mentee to share the story of their most memorable holiday.
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Suggested Activity for December
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Prior to your last visit of the calendar year, ask your mentee to name the holiday their family celebrates and the colors and images that go with that holiday. On your next visit, arrive with construction paper, glue stick, and anything else you've found that symbolizes their holiday observance and can be used to craft a greeting card. Take your time together that day to create a holiday greeting card for a person of importance in your mentee's life. Bringing a light holiday snack is a nice touch (after having discovered, in advance, any food allergies your mentee might have). Remember: you may contact your mentee via phone, e-mail and text.
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Success Story
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Congratulations to David Rodriguez, who called the office last week to inform Ms. Pat that he will graduate from USF in December! David graduated from Wharton High School in 2007 and had been a mentee and scholarship recipient in the Take Stock in Children program. Awarding a scholarship does not ensure the student will know how to use it. A scholarship is the frosting, but mentoring is the cake!
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| KnowHow2Go Corner: |
Crafting a Personal Statement
As seniors, students will create their personal statement, which is often required to be included in the college application. The Know How 2 Go website features a section called, "Explore How Your Interests Can Help You Get Into College." This section features student statements describing the characteristics they feel will best prepare them for their next academic step. The personal statement is a vehicle for students to express themselves and stand out in a sea of applicants.
Although the personal statement's importance is stressed in the senior year, it is never too early to start the process, fine-tuning as time grows closer to the college application submission season. Identifying those qualities which will ensure success should be identified, nurtured and detailed prior to an application deadline.
Billboard Contest
What would help you prepare for college? If you happen to see a billboard with the sentence: "My ________ will help me prepare for college," and a drawing or photo illustrating that quality in action, that was the work of a Hillsborough County student.
The Hillsborough Education Foundation, Florida College Access Network, American Council on Education, Ad Council and Clear Channel Outdoor teamed up to promote college readiness with a billboard contest open to middle and high school students. The winning design will be posted on an electronic billboard in Hillsborough County.
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| Mentors Needed | | Have friends or colleagues who would make an amazing mentor? Send their information to Linda Beckman and she will contact them! |
| Contacts | |
Interim Mentor Coordinator
Student Advocate
Director of Programs
Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Whether you have been a mentor for many years or just joined the program, we are excited to have you as part of our mentoring team.
The Foundation and your students are more than grateful for your dedication and the honor you bring to the title "MENTOR."
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Tough Questions
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My mentee asked me for money to pay her phone bill. She promised to pay it back and that it was only for this month as she wanted to be able to use her money to buy holiday gifts for her family.
While it is tempting to help your mentee, it really doesn't encourage them to develop long-term planning, and it possibly sets a dangerous precedent. You are well within your rights to tell them that giving money is a violation of the terms of the mentoring guidelines. Instead, you might talk to them about budgeting and ask what work they might be able to perform at school or home, to give them the ability to purchase holiday gifts. You might also suggest things your mentee could make that would be more memorable gifts than those which can be purchased. As an example: your mentee could decorate and illustrate a "coupon book," filled with chores such as house-cleaning, babysitting, etc. to parents or chore and/or room cleaning coupon books to siblings or friends. This is a great opportunity to stress the importance of "giving of oneself" to your mentee. |
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December's Featured Resource
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Hillsborough Community College has an honors program for which many of our students, especially our 2-year or 2 +2 scholarship recipients, may qualify. Below are a few of the benefits of the Honors Institute.
Benefits of Being in the Honors Institute
- Smaller Classes - Honors courses are capped at 15 students, allowing students optimal interaction with their professors and classmates.
- Experiential Learning - Honors courses incorporate a more hands-on approach to learning through field trips and volunteer service meant to engage the students and educate outside the classroom.
- Faculty - The Honors faculty is specially selected by the Director of the Honors Institute and attends annual training on teaching in Honors.
- Leadership Opportunities - The Honors Institute has many opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills, from providing assistance to the Honors Office staff to serving as club officers or board members. All Honors students take a specially designed Leadership Course, IDH 2931.
- Specialized Academic Advising - The Honors Institute has its own academic advisor to work with students each semester as they select their classes, determine their intended major, and prepare for HCC graduation and transfer.
- Priority Registration - Honors students who meet with their Honors academic advisor each semester are granted priority registration, providing the opportunity for first selection of courses, class times, and professors.
- Transfer/Scholarship Assistance - The Director of the Honors Institute works with Honors students to negotiate scholarships and transfer opportunities on their behalf. Students graduating from the Honors Institute have been accepted to these colleges and universities.
- Study Lounges - Each campus has a study lounge designated exclusively for Honors students. Each lounge is equipped with computers, printers with free printing, a microwave, refrigerator, tables, chairs, and sofas.
Please review this program on the HCC website, www.hccfl.edu, and encourage your mentee to explore this option. Suggestion: log on together in the school's Success Center. The HCC Honors Institute could provide a greatly enhanced learning experience for the first two years of your mentee's college education.
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The Mentoring Support Team
Hillsborough Education Foundation |
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