Thank Your Mentor Day is celebrated annually in January as part of National Mentoring Month. We all have people in our lives who make an impact, whether it is teachers, coaches, co-workers or mentors through a formal mentoring program. Mentors come into our lives in different ways and at different times, but the one thing that remains constant is the support they give us.
In Dickinson, North Dakota, the Best Friends Mentoring Program has partnered with Dickinson Parks and Recreation to create a program for youth in 6th-8th grade. The STRONGkids program focuses on goal setting, building confidence, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through small group mentoring and physical activities.
The youth participating in this program agreed to share their experiences and how mentoring has made an impact in their lives. Although they shared their specific experiences with the STRONGkids program, there is a lot to be learned about how mentors can have an impact.
While mentors have the potential to make a difference in countless areas of life, here are four key ways they’ve had an impact, as highlighted in interviews with STRONGkids youth.
1. Mentors Support
Mentors encourage us to try our hardest and continue to work towards goals. In the STRONGkids program, mentors have the opportunity to help youth set goals and then check in weekly to find out how they are progressing towards their goals. One mentee shared in her interview how setting goals as part of the program has helped her:
“Setting SMART goals and trying to do exercise was something I learned in my group that has stuck with me because with schoolwork and babysitting my siblings it's been so busy. It's good for me to have that goal.”
Without the encouragement of mentors, it is easy to get discouraged. The support of mentors keeps us motivated to keep working towards our goals. Reflect on the mentors that have supported you and encouraged you to keep going.
2. Mentors Encourage
Mentors provide the support and encouragement needed to help youth step outside their comfort zone. It can take a lot of courage to push ourselves and step outside of our comfort zone. When we do allow ourselves to face a challenge, we may be surprised by the results. As the youth tried new activities in STRONGkids, they were sometimes surprised by the results. One youth shared:’
“My favorite activity was climbing the rock wall because it’s a good challenge. I surprised myself by doing more than I thought I’d be able to! No [I wouldn’t have tried it on my own], but I would do it again in the future! What I liked best about my mentor was that she pushed me to try new things.”
Mentors play a valuable role in encouraging us. When it’s not easy to do something, having that person in our corner to encourage us can make a world of difference.
3. Mentors Teach
Mentoring is also about using real-life moments to be a role model and a teacher. In STRONGkids, the lesson topics are planned, but mentors choose how to talk to the youth about the various topics and relate to them through listening and sharing their own experiences. One mentee in STRONGkids shared how the most impactful lesson that she talked about with her mentor was about empathy and kindness. They made thank you cards for someone of their choosing and she stated:
“I liked making it because it was fun to show appreciation to my family. I’d like to thank my mentor for letting me do all this fun stuff and [help me make] the card.”
Outside of formal programs like STRONGkids, mentors teach valuable lessons every single day. Think of the mentors in your life. What lessons have they taught you?
4. Mentors Make a Lasting Difference
One goal of STRONGkids is for the youth who participate to take the lessons they learn and apply them throughout their life. That may include lessons from the social-emotional learning curriculum or simply learning to try new activities, even if they are uncertain or think they will not be able to do it. The impact that mentors have on students’ lives doesn’t end at the end of the 12-week program. Youth in the program were asked what they might like to continue after the 12 weeks are done and they said they would like to continue to exercise more, show appreciation to others, and continue trying new things! One youth stated:
“One lesson I’m taking with me is continuing to broaden my horizons.”
Take a moment to reflect on how your life might be different if your mentor had not been there for you. With reflection, we can see how much of an impact our mentors have had.
Has a mentor impacted your life in any of these four ways? Are there different areas of impact that you can identify from your mentor? Although STRONGkids is a program with specific goals and lessons, mentors impact our lives in many different ways. Take a moment this “Thank Your Mentor Day” to thank your mentor!
Sarah Mendieta is the program coordinator for Best Friends Mentoring Program.