“In school mentoring has been part of my life for more than 20 years. I like the fact that I can visit my mentee in the school. It gives me a throw back to a time when I was that age going to school. Hearing the things he says and helps me stay young at heart.
To be appreciated and to be surrounded by an awesome group of people at the school is the cherry on top.” –John, In-School Mentor
When choosing a volunteer for this month’s Mentor of the Month, there was no doubt that John deserved to be recognized for his 28 years of volunteering with BBBSWE. John started his volunteer career as a Big Brother and transitioned into the role of an In-School Mentor, building life-changing connections with many mentees along the way.
Mentor of the Month is proudly sponsored by the OSSTF Active Retired Members (ARM), Chapter 9, Great Essex.
John has, and continues to be, a mentor who understands the significance of being consistent, knowing that just “showing up” each week makes all the difference. John has provided his mentees with the opportunity to learn new skills, challenge themselves and overall have a break from their school day to spend time with someone who will listen to, and have fun with them.
John’s most recent match began this past year and they have quickly developed a great friendship where they enjoy spending their time together shooting hoops, playing board games and talking. When chatting with his mentee about his experience being matched to John, he stated that John “makes him feel important and happy” when they are together because John “does nice things for [him]”, such as rebounding the ball for him when they’re playing basketball. John’s mentee also spoke about how much fun he has during his mentoring visits and that he enjoys spending time with John because he feels like the “center of attention”.
Thank you John, for your unwavering commitment and support to our agency. We are so grateful to have you as part of our volunteer team and for always being there to “rebound the ball” for your mentees!