Hillsborough Education Foundation                                                        March 2012 

Mentee Graduating 

 

Mentor

 UPDATE 
Spring Break Edition
   
Dear Valued Mentors,
Welcome to the "Spring Break" Edition of the Mentor Update! Spring time is upon us and the 3rd grading period is almost over. Although Spring Break (March 12th - 16th) is considered a vacation, most students will have homework, projects and tests to study for. Mentors can begin scheduling visits with their mentee starting March 20th. We hope our students and mentors have a safe and fun Spring Break 2012!

Important Announcements

Important dates to consider for school visits:

  • Spring Break: March 12 - 16  
  • End of 3rd Grading Period - March 30    

Mentor Self-Reporting...Report!  

The Hillsborough Education Foundation is excited to announce that we can report 105 student visits and 109 mentoring hours in January 2012. Collecting this information is crucial for understanding the impact mentoring has on student success. Only around 50% of mentors reported their hours and it is our goal to boast a 90% self-reporting rate by July 30th. For those unaware, mentor self-reporting occurs at the 1st of each month when William Dailey requests the report via email. Simply reply to the email and communicate the number of visits and number of hours you had with your mentee. Thank you to all of our mentors who participated so far and we look forward to your continued support in this endeavor.
KnowHow2Go Corner
It may not always be easy to talk with your mentee. But it's important that you support your mentee throughout the college planning process. Help him or her organize the process, meet deadlines and talk with the right people. Here are a few tips to consider:

Listen
Be receptive to and listen when your mentee wants to discuss career and/or college plans.
Explore
Have your mentee explore career and college options and collect as much information as possible.
Encourage
Encourage him/her to capture their ideas on paper. One idea is to create a scrapbook of career and college plans.
Be Aware
Be aware of various deadlines for applications to colleges and financial aid. Put them on a calendar that both you and your mentee can look at.
Step In
Suggest that your mentee meet with a career counselor at least once a year to learn more about college and career planning.
Be Supportive
Be supportive of your mentee, and meet with his/her counselor if you sense that he/she needs additional help.
Connect to Career
Encourage your mentee by helping him/her see the connection between college and career. Emphasize the importance of selecting a major that helps prepare him/her for a career.
Research
If your mentee is undecided about a career direction, do not try to fix it. Let him/her look into all the possibilities and encourage them to discover their own path.  
   

 

Mentor Appreciation in February
The Hillsborough Education Foundation has been lucky enough to send more than ten mentors and their guests to Tampa Bay Lightning games! We wish we could send all of our mentors but we have short notice on the tickets. Keep an eye out for give-away emails and you could be one of the lucky winners!
In This Issue
Mentor Self Reporting
KnowHow2Go Corner
Mentor Appreciation Giveaways
Mentors Needed
Have friends or colleagues who would make an amazing mentor? Send their information to William Dailey and he will contact them! 
Contact
Mentor Coordinator
 
Let me 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." 

 

HEF Small logo 
Spring Break Facts
History
Spring break actually began in 1938 when Ft. Lauderdale hosted the college coaches' swim forum.300 swimmers and their respective student bodies attended this inaugural year.


Fun Fact
About 2.1 million college students participated in spring break festivities during 2010 (it has grown a bit since '38)

Panama City averages 500,000 student spring breakers.South Padre Island averages 150,000 people and  Cancun Mexico averages 100,000 people.  
Sincerely,
The Mentoring Support Team
Hillsborough Education Foundation