Nell Fernandez, 2nd Year Mentor
I began volunteering at Path to Shine in August of 2022. That’s when I met Andy and learned that I would be his mentor. At first, he was shy and only wanted to play with his friends. He had just started kindergarten, and he may have been slightly overwhelmed by all the new people and places around him. Week by week, he became more comfortable with me and with Path to Shine. I found that he was very smart, he loved math, and he loved compliments even more! And he had a sly sense of humor, sometimes giving the wrong answer just so he could see my overdramatic incredulous reaction.
Returning for the second year, I was amazed to see how Andy had grown and how much more mature he was. No more hiding under the table or racing around the room with his buddies. He is more verbal, and he raises his hand to answer every question! Like all the other kids, he loves having the full attention of his adult mentor. The one-on-one interaction is the great strength of Path to Shine—the kids know that their mentors care about them, and they look forward to our time together.
Many experts recommend that older people make a point of spending time with the young, and my experience with Andy at Path to Shine convinces me that it’s a good idea. I hope to continue to be Andy’s mentor and friend until he graduates from the program in 2028. I’m excited to see how he grows and develops during the next four years.
Bill Froemming, 1st Year Mentor
I got involved with PTS because I was interested in a service that would provide a benefit. It has been a very rewarding challenge to build a mentor relationship with a second grader that needs help with reading, etc. I have had the opportunity to slowly help him to spend time working on his reading skills. At times it has been an uphill climb; but with small positive results, it has been very rewarding. I highly recommend the program.
댓글