Mentor Personal Statement

Some of the activities I was involved in include: Jump Rope for Heart, concession stands for sports, and tutoring for middle school students. My favorite volunteer experience was Little Hoopers. Little Hoopers is a basketball program at my school that teaches children from kindergarten to third grade about basic basketball skills. It took place during basketball season on Saturday mornings. My job was to correct any skills the kids were doing incorrectly, like passing the ball or shooting it. I also had to be sure the kids didn’t misbehave and give them advice if they ever discouraged themselves. I truly enjoyed seeing the children’s faces as they made a basket or accomplished a skill they’ve been trying incredibly hard to achieve. Their smiling faces put a smile on my face.

I would grade papers and tests for Walton-Verona Middle School's 6th grade reading and math teachers. This was a unique experience as it allowed me to see the struggle that teachers went through. Most of the reading papers I graded were not very good to my standards. There was punctuation and spelling errors and sometimes the students would even spell their name wrong. Also I would grade the papers while class went on and I was able to see how teachers dealt with the students. I was surprised and in awe with how swiftly and easily the teachers were able to calm down the students and keep their own temper when they would have to repeat instructions over and over again. I had always known teaching was a stressful job, but seeing it with my own eyes further confirmed it. I have a new found respect for them. They deal with rude kids a lot for a living and still are able to be kind and polite. They even become parental figures to students more than the students' actual parents. Seeing the teachers in action and not be a

Teaching and guiding others have come naturally as long as I can remember, and I cannot imagine doing anything else with my life; sometimes a field or a profession calls a certain type of person, and I definitely am drawn to a path in education. Nothing gives me more satisfaction, and can create more of a positive effect in our society. My passion is teaching and I want to change the lives of students across the board, but mostly those who live in poverty and have not possessed the same opportunities as

Working with a team and helping others succeed has led me to partake as a volunteer at the after-school tutoring

I spent my middle school years and early high school years helping out in Mrs. DiIanni’s 3rd grade classroom at Lee Elementary in Middleville. While helping Mrs. DiIanni with little things like filling and grading papers, I also helped the kids with problems they were working on. I had a lot of fun helping them with educational art projects and learn to write in cursive. I had also helped organize some of their holiday parties, and well as joined them in the festivities. I had done so many things with these kids and I hopeI at least impacted one of their lives.

Assisted young children between the grades of preschool to 8th grade in their education. I decided to volunteer because the children of today will be the children of the future and the more smart and educated they are the better they will be in the future. Another reason I helped was because it is hard for young children to adapt to the lifestyle of constantly moving from one place to another. Since their parents are migrants it can have a negative impact on them and their education. I remember one little girl is from Florida but every summer her parents move up to Michigan to work in the fields, but once the harvest is over they move back to Florida. She was behind in school and with the help of teachers and myself we motivated and helped her out so she was able to catch up. I really enjoyed volunteering the past two summers ago at the summer migrant program. If I had another opportunity to help I

reading teacher, I have volunteered many times helping children with their homework after school at the

From a young age, I was taught that education is paramount. Various members of my immediate and extended family work as educators. Many summers I have spent in my mother’s school helping her prepare her classroom, and I enjoy

I believe a Peer Mentor should make it his/her assignment provide support, encouragement, and information to new students. I was attracted to this position because I believe I can successfully do so by listening, comprehending, questioning, clarifying and give constructive feedback to fellow students with any type of situation they are dealing with. A peer mentor is someone who leads by example, a role model to others. Almost every job I have ever had, I had to demonstrate skills a mentor has to possess. Being a basketball coach for young kids as well as a Security Guard, has taught me important skills like sensibility, confidence, social skills and reliability. Furthermore, by being approachable, open minded and willing to put myself in others

My volunteer background at Oakdale Elementary School and Backus Hospital has provided me with many skills and the understanding of dealing with different personalities. As a volunteer at Oakdale Elementary School I was responsible for managing and assisting the teacher with a third grade class. During my experience at Oakdale Elementary school, I learned

A volunteering experience that holds a lot of meaning to me was being able to participate in a FCCLA Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Event called Advocacy. As part of my class assignment, my partner and I first had to research a need in our community, state, or throughout our nation and then “advocate it”, or make it know, as well as find a solution. Our research quickly showed that Texas was ranked fourth in the nation for the number of children living in poverty and our own county was ranked 116th out of 264 counties in Texas for the number of children living in conditions below the Federal Poverty Level. This project went from being a class assignment, to a volunteer experience that positively influenced and changed my life in so many ways.

Merylin Orris, RDH, BSDH is a former dental hygiene instructor of mine fom the Dental Hygiene program at SPC. She is a part-time dental hygiene clinical instructor at St Petersburg College Dental Hygiene Program. As a dental hygiene instructor, she followed my advancement through the two-year Associate in Dental Hygiene program and provided me with much valuable information and also with technical skills. As a mentor, she introduced me to the responsibilities and the joy of being a clinical instructor. Her passion for teaching and patience toward the students and colleagues captured my attention even before I applied for the bachelor's program. She guided me through the Capstone Practicum experience and was available

I volunteered at the Atrium Court Apartments as an aid to a Tutor that would come in and help the kids who lived around the apartments with their homework and any other necessary needs. At first, it was difficult for me to balance my work schedule and volunteer schedule but gradually I learned how to manage work, school and volunteering and it felt like an accomplishment. I worked with and helped all the kids with the Mrs. Farrow, who was the Tutor in charge and conducted this after school program. At first it was hard for many kids to accept a stranger who would help them besides Mrs. Farrow but eventually, they were okay with me teaching them. As I started going gradually I started getting to know the kids a little more. Some louder than

In my junior of high school I volunteered, through the educational program Scholars, at a middle school called Tomas Rivera Middle School. As I already had experience tutoring students because of my position as a certified avid tutor in my middle school, I quickly became involved. I worked with students falling in mathematics and English learners. I was in charge of 2 distinct groups. The first, were 7th grade students in advanced algebra 1 and my second group was composed of 8th grade students in regular algebra 1. I worked with these dedicated students for a semester, almost every wednesday before I would go to school, for about an hour and 30 minutes.

For my service learning, I was assigned to work for America Learns at an elementary school in Roxbury. America Learns works with students from kindergarten to third grade, the program is structured to offer both tutoring and an additional activity each session. The activity is intended to teach the children critical thinking skills, diversity and cultural awareness, and experiential learning, as well as help to improve basic reading skills. Twice a week each tutor works with a student through the entire program, both homework help, and the activity. The goal is that throughout the weeks of the program the tutor and student will build a relationship that benefits both parties involved.