September Mentor of the Month!

Kanta MacDermott and her mentee will be celebrating an amazing three years together in October. Her mentee was referred in 2008 and need a mentor who would help her improve her self-esteem, academics, and social skills. Together, they have been able to accomplish these things and many more. Kanta's patience has been a strong factor in developing their mentoring relationship. It wasn't always easy to mentor a young girl whose main interest was playing with her friends. But Kanta stuck with her mentee, encouraged her to develop her artistic skills and creativity, and further her academic achievements. Kanta's consistency has helped her mentee improve in all areas of her life. One of their goals was read three new books over their first year together. They surpassed that goal quickly and Kanta encouraged her mentee to read one book a week during a summer program. Her mentee has become a better reader and actually enjoys reading now! Each year, Kanta makes an effort to reach out to her mentee's teacher to see how she can best help outside of school hours. Beyond academics, Kanta encouraged her mentee to be caring and thoughtful of others, and now we see her mentee say, "please," and "thank you" with a sweet smile at every appropriate moment.

Kanta takes advantage of the many mentor resources to help out develop her mentee's interests. For example, she encouraged her to sign up for the PAL Twelve35 Teen Center to develop her mentee’s passion for arts. They have also created a scrapbook, mosaic art pieces, and other forms of arts and crafts. Kanta goes above and beyond to be that support system and friend that her mentee needs. She takes extra time to look into community events and activities to keep her mentee engaged, especially during the summer months. She helped her sign up for Fun in the Sun and brought her to many Mentor Program events. Thank you for all that you do, Kanta!