mentors - WKTV Journal

Courtesy Michigan State University Extension

By Frank Cox, Michigan State University Extension

A mentor has the ability to coach, guide and support his or her mentee for career development because they can teach more in-depth from their personal career experiences. A mentor can also share his or her network and connections to connect the mentee to other professionals in their career field of interest.

The article “Exploring Careers through Job Shadowing” on The Balance Careers states that job shadowing is a career exploration activity that offers an opportunity to spend time with a professional currently working in a person’s career field of interest. For mentoring, a mentee interested in the same career field as their mentor makes a good match for a job shadowing experience. If a mentee is interested in a different career field, a mentor has direct and indirect career connections to assist mentees for a job shadowing match. A job shadowing experience will allow the mentee to observe their potential career field of interest, get a sense of the work environment and learn about the level of education for that career.

To build on the job shadowing experience and depending on the level of education needed or desired by the mentee, making visits to post-secondary institutions is helpful. These visits allow the mentee to not only observe but also ask questions relating to his or her postsecondary plans or desires. On these visits, the mentee will observe the post-secondary learning environment, learn the requirements for admission, learn about financing their post-secondary education and visit with students and faculty.

In preparation for visits, mentors and mentees can work together to research the institutions. For example, to take a college visit to Michigan State University, they may go to the Office of Admissions webpage and search for scheduling a college visit. This type of educational activity can be a learning experience for mentors and mentees.

Michigan 4-H Youth Development with Michigan State University Extension utilizes caring adults to help youth become productive citizens in society. Two programs that help accomplish these goals are the Michigan 4-H Youth Mentoring Programs and Michigan 4-H Careers and Entrepreneurship Programs offered by Michigan 4-H Youth Development. With resources available for mentoring and careers, caring adult mentors can play a positive role in helping guide mentees to the career of their choice.

For more information or resources on career exploration, workforce preparation, financial education, or entrepreneurship, contact 4-HCareerPrep@anr.msu.edu.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Students mentors work on “Start with Hello” banner.

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

When eighth-grader Jaden Delosh started attending the middle school right after spring break, he was happy to have Ke’Waun Blackmon show him around.

“It gave me a friend,” said Jaden, who moved from Waterford, near Detroit.

Ke’Waun made the transition a little easier, showing him around to classrooms introducing him to teachers and classmates, and inviting him to join him at lunch.

About 30 students in grade six through eight are assigned as mentors to befriend and welcome new students, making sure they feel welcome.

Counselor Michelle Barrows started the mentorship program, which involves twice monthly meetings, to build a team of students that reach out to others, whether that’s new students or anyone appearing isolated or upset. Teachers recommended students to serve as mentors who have showed good leadership skills and the ability to take initiative.

“They are a force for positive change in this school,” Barrows said. “If they see someone being made fun of or who is crying, they are supposed to step up.”

Ke’Wau Blackmon is helping new student Jaden Delosh around Kelloggsville Middle School.

They have welcomed 41 new students this year, and many have formed relationships. Sixth-grade mentors will also help fifth-graders during Move-Up Day in May, when the younger students visit to tour their new school building.

Mentors participated in “Start with Hello,” part of the Sandy Hook Promise campaign, which equips students with skills needed to reach out to and include those who may be dealing with chronic social isolation. The goal is to create a culture of inclusion and connectedness within their school.

The Sandy Hook Promise is a national non-profit organization founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. It provides programs and practices that protect children.

“I really want it to make it a little more than just showing a new kid around,” Barrows said.

Ke’Waun said mentoring Jaden and another student earlier this year has helped him learn how to “be friends with everyone.”

“I learned how to respect different people and to have good relationships,” he said.

“I said, ‘If you need anything, you can come to me and ask me. I just made them my friends… It was really fun helping other students come to our school and know they are going to be safe and have a good time here.”

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.