With over 10 years experience working in the nonprofit sector and over 15 years mentoring youth in North Texas, Gilbert Montez truly embodies what it means to be a caring adult. Gilbert first began serving the North Texas community over 20 years ago both by working for and volunteering through other youth mentoring programs in the area which in 2020 culminated in his becoming the President and CEO of Christian Community Action (CCA). Gilbert started volunteering with CISNT last school year, and when Shonarie Chamorro, our Site Coordinator at Mill Street Elementary School in Lewisville, first met Gilbert, she could easily see his passion for helping people and knew immediately that he could provide just the support one of her students needed.
Bentlie, then a fourth grader at Mill Street, was struggling with his classes and his behavior. Bentlie began meeting with Gilbert weekly, and they quickly developed a routine. Every 9 weeks, at the end of each grading period, Gilbert and Bentlie go over Bentlie’s grades together, and whenever Bentlie has missing classwork, Gilbert helps him complete it and get it handed in. Whenever they’re not working on homework together, Gilbert and Bentlie enjoy having great conversations about everything from grades and school to girls, sports, food, and the future while playing games like Connect Four.
Mrs. Chamorro says that in this way Gilbert keeps Bentlie motivated and accountable for his grades and actions and has also given Bentlie a male role model he can look up to. Bentlie says he looks forward to his meetings with Gilbert because he knows Gilbert has helped him do better in school by holding him accountable for his grades and because he knows he can talk to Gilbert about anything, and Gilbert says Bentlie is always ready to share his latest progress reports and improving grades.
At one point, Bentlie earned a 100% on a quiz and was so excited when he found out that he ran straight to Mrs. Chamorro’s office so that he could call Gilbert to let him know right away.
Bentlie is now in fifth grade and with Gilbert by his side is continuing to keep his grades up and do well in school, but Bentlie isn’t the only one benefiting from their relationship. Gilbert says he has always had a passion for mentoring youth because he loves to see children succeed to the best of their ability, but Bentlie is special. They have a lot in common and have been able to confide a lot in each other over the year and a half they’ve been meeting. Gilbert says he loves meeting with Bentlie because Bentlie “is a good kid who has so much potential.”
Gilbert also says, “My CIS time is one of the best things I do all week. Each Thursday morning when I walk into Mill Street Elementary, it takes me back to my elementary years in my hometown in West Texas. My student, Bentlie, is no different than I was at that age, and I simply try to awaken in him that he can change the world in years to come. He is incredibly articulate and is so smart. I was blessed to have teachers and coaches who always encouraged me to achieve, and I want to do the same for him and to let him know that he has the potential to accomplish great things.
We are so grateful to Gilbert and all our volunteer mentors like him who know it’s not about having all the answers or knowing exactly what to do, but rather that sometimes, all it takes to help a child like Bentlie succeed is showing up each week to talk about homework and life, check up on his grades, and play some fun games. When it comes to the invaluable impact of volunteering, Gilbert says it best, “Every time anyone volunteers with any organization, you are helping to make our community better and stronger. That’s true for the organization I lead (CCA) and especially true for CISNT and its students. That’s why I volunteer.”
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about mentoring with CISNT or would like to apply to become a mentor, be sure to check out our website: https://cisnt.org/volunteer/ or email our Volunteer Department at volunteer@cisnt.org.
