How did you become involved with mentoring through Hillsborough Education Foundation? I learned about TSIC from a former co-worker, a kind woman who volunteers a lot of her time to help others. We had both been part of an in-person mentoring program at an elementary school, but the program stopped once the COVID-19 pandemic started. My co-worker told me that HEF offered remote volunteering opportunities. I signed up immediately because HEF gave me the opportunity to continue making a difference, while staying safe at the height of the pandemic. I’ve remained in the program because it remains convenient, and a lot of support is offered to mentors!

What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring?  Getting to know my mentees has made me a better person, and that has been most rewarding. The more I learn about my mentees and listen to their stories, the more open and compassionate I become.

What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor? It doesn’t require anything more than a genuine interest in getting to know your mentee and offering help or guidance whenever possible. It was important to my mentee to save money for a large purchase, and we spoke a lot about budgeting, savings accounts, and financial matters that don’t get much attention in school. With every mentee, I try to get to know them as much as possible to learn about their goals, interests, and what they value. I think about what I wish I could’ve known at their age and try to share that knowledge with them to the best of my abilities.

When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time? I spend the majority of my free time with my husband and my kids! My husband is my high school sweetheart, and we have two girls together. One of them is three years old, and the other is one month old. I also enjoy reading, going on walks outside, catching up with friends, practicing yoga, playing word games and puzzles, watching interesting documentaries, and exploring new places.

What do you hope your mentee will learn from you? I hope she listens to her intuition when making decisions. When I reflect on actions I've taken and later regretted, I’ve realized that in making those decisions I ignored my intuition. I hope my mentee continues to work hard, without being too hard on herself. I also hope she continues to live her life with gratitude and kindness.

Celebrate National Volunteer Month by encouraging your mentee to engage in community service.

Volunteering Helps Students Connect to the Community 

Giving back and assisting others is the basis of volunteering. It teaches people how significant it is to help those in need.

The importance of community service lies in the fact that it connects us to the community by improving it, and making it a better place for all of us to live.

Volunteering Helps Students Earn Scholarships

Many scholarships require students to earn a certain number of community service hours to be considered for financial aid. An example is Florida's Bright Futures Scholarships. Students should aim to earn 100 community service hours before they graduate.

Throughout March, HEF mentees had the opportunity to check out two colleges. Students and mentors visited Hillsborough Community College on March 6th and The University of Tampa on March 14th. We want to say a BIG "thank you" to HCC and UT for facilitating fantastic college tours!

If you and your mentee didn't get a chance to attend, don't worry we have another college tour in June. Be on the lookout for more information coming soon.

Click the name of your

College Success Coach

to email them.

Mark Your Calendar

For more detailed information about the events occurring in Hillsborough County Public Schools, view the HCPS Calendar.