Mentors

Mansfield ISD’s mission is to inspire and educate students to be productive citizens. As mentors, you have to inspire the kids by role modeling to them things they would desire for themselves. Even when they seem to be pulling away, you inspire by continuing to show up. They will soon see that your care for them is unconditional and this is where the inspiration comes from. We want them to hunger for more than they have now and encourage them to go after their dreams with full abandon.

Once they begin to trust you, they might start opening up more, sharing more, and taking more risks and they will need to be motivated and have support as they do so.

To gain the trust of any young person you have to be willing to know his/her world. Likes and dislikes. What music does he/she listen to? What television shows does he/she watch? You have to build a positive relationship before you can teach. Truth be known, you might spend all of this year right here working on that positive relationship. That’s okay!

Help kids see more, want more and be more than they ever thought was possible. Your time with them should empower them to advocate for themselves and they should feel your support even when you aren’t together because of the firm foundation you have created.

Be committed to the cause. Be present.

Mentoring is a journey. Trust the process.