We’ve reached November! The weather is getting cooler, trees are changing colors, and the Fall semester is coming to a close. This semester, the emphasis has been on social distancing, PPE, and virtual learning, and the CISNT volunteer program has gone largely virtual to ensure the health and safety of our tutors, mentors, and students. However, the awesome outcomes of student mentoring are no different, and CISNT students and mentors have found great success through virtual connections!
At DeLay Middle School, CISNT student Jeny is getting the most out of her virtual connection with her mentor, Ms. Amanda. Jeny and her mentor met for the first time a week before Spring Break, but their time together was disrupted by COVID-19 closures in March. However, Jeny and her mentor virtually picked up where they left off in September using WebEx, and their relationship has been thriving throughout the Fall semester!
DeLay Middle School Site Coordinator Tracey Quezada writes:
“Witnessing their strong relationship as mentor and mentee, it is such a pleasure to see how well they get along and have so many things in common. Jeny is nothing but an amazing student who strives to be the best version of herself, and it is so heartwarming to know that she has an amazing mentor who influences her in all aspects of life. Jeny has vocalized how appreciative she is of Ms. Amanda. It will be an exciting journey to see how they will both impact each others’ lives.”
We are so excited to see where the relationship between Ms. Amanda and Jeny takes them!
At Pike Middle School, one mentor in particular, Terri Henson, is making an impact. Ms. Terri followed her student to Pike Middle School from a non-CIS elementary school campus, and Ms. Terri is currently in her second year of mentoring with CISNT. Ms. Terri’s presence in her student’s life as a mentor has certainly made a difference!
Pike Middle School Site Coordinator Connie Kim writes:
“Her student loves meeting with her and finds comfort in the stability of her relationship with Ms. Terri. She finds that Ms. Terri is a safe adult that she is able to talk about all of her issues with. Ms. Terri is also there to push her student to be the best she can be. She asks her student about her grades and to see if there is anything she needs to work on.”
Following COVID-19 closures in March, Ms. Terri and her student continued to meet once a week virtually until the end of the school year, and resumed their meeting as soon as school started up again. Ms. Terri’s student looks forward to their Zoom meetings each Tuesday. Way to go, Ms. Terri, for empowering your student to succeed!
Our mentors are committed to empowering their students to stay in school and achieve in life, and it shows! We feel so fortunate to have such a dedicated volunteer base. CISNT would like to say THANK YOU to our awesome mentors and tutors for being #AllInForKids!
