Wednesday, September 8, 2010

August's Mentor of the Month

Shereen Khatapoush
Shereen and her mentee have been together for about 2 and a half years. Academically, her mentee struggles with math, so Shereen took it upon her to find tutoring services and other after school help. Together, they work through the tough problems, sometimes getting frustrated, but never giving up.

Her mentee was referred not only for her academic struggles, but also for behavioral issues, social skills, peer relations, and self-esteem. With all this in mind, Shereen could have felt overwhelmed from the beginning, and could have given up when she saw little progress in the first 6 months. But she didn’t. She continued to prove to this little girl that she mattered in this world and that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. Her mentee finally came to understand that Shereen in fact, was there to support and encourage her. Her home life had not always taught her that, as her parents were often occupied with other difficulties.

Now, Shereen’s mentee says that Shereen is like a sister to her, she loves playing with her, and has a lot of fun with her. Shereen has helped her be “more happy”, and has helped her develop skills both in and out of the classroom. In the same light, Shereen has described her time mentoring as the “highlight of her day, and often the highlight of her week.”

Shereen also extends her learning by attending on-going mentor trainings and program activities. She has also volunteered to help further by joining a fundraising committee as a part of the “Taking Kids Off the Fence” campaign.

Thank you, Shereen, for all that you do! We greatly appreciate you!

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