Fighting Back Mentor Program: education

Friday, October 26, 2012

Mentor of the Year: Lisa Gosdschan

The Fighting Back Mentor Program Coordinator, Ann Cowell, told me while choosing the Mentor of the Year that she is looking for someone who not only demonstrates the time commitment to their mentee, but a commitment to the community as a whole. She looks for a mentor who supports and cares for their mentee in every way that they can: in school, in their personal lives, and by encouraging them to always learn and experience new things.

This year we are so proud to announce and celebrate Lisa Gosdschan as our 2012 Mentor of the Year, because she embodies all of those qualities! Throughout her long, and sometimes rocky, relationship with her mentee she never gave up, never stopped caring, and is a perfect example of what a mentor can be given enough time, heart, and devotion. Her work with her mentee, who is now an 8th grader, is beyond the expectations of a mentor, and therefore comes directly from her own intrinsic motivation and spirit. Her story is important to share because it shows how, when given the opportunity, people are capable of immeasurable generosity and compassion.

When I sat down for an interview with Lisa, she told me of all the ways she supports her mentee with her physical, emotional, psychological, and even spiritual health. Lisa is extremely hands on, very involved, and an incredible model of humanitarian work. She is a valuable member of numerous volunteer groups: Mentor Task Force, Kiwanis Club, Catholic Charities (Food Pantry, Special Olympics) and on the board of Alpha Resource Center. Her volunteer work with Ed Cue at Kiwanis, exposed her to the need of mentoring, and inspired her to get involved with more programs within the Santa Barbara community.

Nearly three years ago, Lisa and her mentee met for the first time at their match meeting at her elementary school. It was clear from day one that they were a good match. When I read over her mentee’s pre-match interview, I found that when she was asked 'What type of person would you like to be matched with?' she responded, "Someone who is nice, who cares about me, and knows other languages." It turns out that Lisa speaks French, German, and English. But this is only one small connection among many, such as their shared love of cats, and going to Yogurtland, that make them great. Lisa brought Jolly Ranchers to the match meeting for her mentee and it turned out that that was her favorite candy! The candy was a great conversation starter and it allowed for her normally shy mentee to open up. They were both very enthusiastic about the relationship and her mentee fed off of Lisa’s energy. Lisa identified with her because as a young girl she remembers being shy and reserved also. And then as she grew older Lisa overcame her shyness, became a cheerleader, and got more involved in school and the community. Lisa was immediately excited to share this experience and knowledge with her mentee, to help her blossom, just as Lisa had.

For Lisa, sharing her childhood and family experiences with her mentee has been a wonderful and important part of their relationship, but dealing with the differences in their backgrounds and perspectives, and relating to her mentee with understanding and without judgment, has been one of her greatest struggles. Not having any children to base a mentoring relationship on, Lisa put forth what she knew about support and encouragement from growing up in a disciplined and structured military household. Sometimes it was hard for Lisa to understand her mentee’s actions, because she describes that from her own experience growing up "I just never [broke the rules], I just never did anything. I knew there would be consequences and I didn’t want to find out what they were. I never got in trouble, never got suspended, never got anything, and when I met my mentee, her family was totally different. You know, with her father incarcerated, uncle incarcerated, broken family with her mother busy all the time, she didn’t have any consequences. But she was a child, so I figured, you know, it doesn't really matter, this dynamic, obviously she needs someone, and I think it was just a really, really good match for us."

Lisa’s mentee is raised by a single working mother with two other children, one of whom suffers from a difficult mental disability, and therefore her mentee often finds herself without attention or help from her overwhelmed mother. Lisa is more than willing to step into this gap to help her mentee and her mother, and make sure her mentee has regular visits to the doctor and dentist, that she is signed up for important school programs such as the meal plans and correct classes, and takes time to have fun with her mentee and go shopping or walking down State St. Lisa also focuses on encouraging her mentee to increase her involvement in her schoolwork, and after her mentee expressed interest in criminal investigation as a potential career Lisa helped her explore this interest even more and turn it into a motivating goal. Throughout their relationship Lisa has helped her mentee embrace the idea of attaining good grades, going to college, and finding a career path that uses her strengths and sparks her interests. It truly is a great relationship when a mentor can help a mentee see their potential and take steps to reach it.

I asked Lisa why she gives so much of her time and energy to her mentee she explained that it is a wonderful opportunity to be an positive influence on a young person at a time when they need it most, and talked about how mentoring enriches her life as much as her mentees: "[A mentor] can make someone feel important and show them how they can make others feel important; when you give, you get a lot back.” And after two years of numerous challenges and growth in the relationship, Lisa told me about a time when she 'got a lot back' and truly saw that she was making an impact. Lisa took her mentee on a trip to visit with Lisa's family while they did spring cleaning: "[My mentee] saw everybody do everything together. Everybody would work together, eat together, and we'd be laughing around the table, I don't think that [her mentee’s family] have a dinner table to tell you the truth. Even though cleaning a house isn’t our regular circumstances she just saw a family that was really working hard together, and she had a great time working along side us. I think that was a changing experience for her and she was happy to give back to me and my family." For Lisa this was such a rewarding time with her mentee, and she cherishes the ability to show her different perspectives and the different ways that people, and families, live. This changed her mentee’s worldview, and Lisa said that after this trip there was a positive shift in her demeanor overall, and her attitude towards school. This story, among many, best illustrates Lisa's inclusive approach and dedication, but it also illustrates the possibilities in mentoring, and how something that may seem random can make the greatest impact.

When we asked Lisa's mentee if she could describe her mentor in one word, she chose the word "generous." Not only does this describe Lisa perfectly, but it also describes the soul of a Mentor, someone who is willing to give of themselves to help another. There are Mentors that give an incredible amount of their time, spirit, and support, and some who can only give that one hour a week, but they all make a difference. And then there are Mentors like Lisa, who demonstrates outstanding generosity, support, graciousness, resilience, passion, and compassion that goes above and beyond anything we ask or expect of mentors within the program.

Congratulations, Lisa, for being our 2012 Mentor

of the Year! You truly deserve it!

~Kiana G. Alzate, Creative Media Intern with the Fighting Back Mentor

Program

Monday, February 6, 2012

What Do You Think?: Is College Within My Reach?

Scenario:

Nicole is the youngest of four children and just entered 9th grade. No one in her family has ever been to college, except maybe a class or two at City College. Her parents both work two jobs to support the family and they encourage Nicole to get a job after high school. However, she has been talking with her favorite teacher and he told her that she would do great in college and it will help her get a better higher paying job. He shared stories about how college was one of the best times of his life and how it helped him realize his passion for teaching. Nicole also wants to be a teacher and so she has started considering actually going to college. The thought of being the first person from her family to do so is at the same time exciting and terrifying, but she still can’t quite see it as a true possibility. She knows her family is poor because her parents have to work so much and they always scrape by for a day or two at the end of every month, so how could they possibly afford college?!

Questions for Discussion:

What should Nicole do to find out more information about college and how to pay for it? Who can she talk to?
Do you think that your family could afford college for you? If money was not an issue would you want to go to college? Why or why not?
Do you know anything about financial aid and scholarship money?
What do you think about being the first one in a family to go to college? Would that make you want to go more or less?
What do you think Nicole’s parents and siblings will think about her applying for college? Will they be supportive? What about your family?

Factoids

* The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara offers scholarships to students with a high school diploma or GED who have spent four years in Santa Barbara schools from grades 7 to 12. http://www.sbscholarship.org/students/loan_apply/index.html is the website for these scholarships. They also list other specialty scholarships here, including ones who are AB540 status. Another SB site for AB540 scholarships is the Adsum Education Foundation.

The Ventura County Community Fund supports Ventura students with college funds (http://www.vccf.org/funds/scholarship_fund_vc/index.shtml)

* There are many websites which break down cost and answer questions that students might have, making it less difficult to find out the information they need, such as: http://www.princetonreview.com/scholarships-financial-aid.aspx and there are also forums where other students can go online and discuss the pros and cons of different options. This is often a great way for students to connect with others who are looking at similar options and/or those who have already made similar decisions.

* Summer competitions and other essays can earn students scholarships simply by having them write their story, share their goals, and/or test their academics. High marks are also ways to earn academic scholarships, but there are many types of scholarships available. Scholarships can be competitive, but there are also numerous scholarship funds that go unused because not enough people apply. http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/ is a site that lists different types of scholarships that are out there. Religious, athletic, high school, and military scholarships are some of the many types available.

* Work-study programs at universities work with financial aid programs for students who have financial need. Universities often offer these employment options as a way to benefit both the students and university, as the university then has lower cost employees, and the students often are able to study during down times at work and are able to work around their class schedules as well. Especially in local college communities, many places of employment cater to student schedules, with part-time employment available on nights or weekends, and even summer or holiday employment.

* Grants are often offered to students who demonstrate financial need, usually on a first-come-first-served basis. Grant money is financial aid which does not have to be re-paid. Federal loans (Stafford and Perkins) are cheaper than private loans and often have more flexible repayment options. Private loans are also an option if Federal loan funds are not available or have been utilized. Early applications are the best way to maximize the amount of aid available.

* Based on demographics, students may find it easier to get into school in some locations over others. In recent years, some regions in the Midwest and Northeast have not seen as many first-year applicants, which led them to offer more scholarships in-order to increase enrollment.

* If a student is undocumented, they may not be eligible for federal aid. However, there are other resources out there which have funds specifically to support undocumented students in their education. http://www.finaid.ucsb.edu/Media/Documents/ScholarshipsForUndocumentedStudents.pdf and some of the listed sources at the bottom of this blog have some great resources for undocumented students to receive financial support for college.

How Mentors Can Help:

* Talk about your own decisions about going to college, whether or not you went, how you decided where to go, who you talked to, and how you paid for it. If you did not go to college, talk about this decision, and you can also talk about those you know who went to college, into the military, or trade school.

* Discuss your mentee’s motivation for going to college, whether this if financial, occupational, personal, etcetera. Discuss some of the goals they want to achieve and help them to really feel sure about their decisions and not just feel family or other pressure. Encourage them to consider all of their options.

* Encourage your mentee to talk with their high school career center and counselor about what kind of preparation they need in-order to apply for colleges. Help them begin to work on some of their goals and where they see themselves going.

* Talk with them about considering junior college first or other local college in-order to save money on tuition and allow them more time to figure out their career goals. Encourage them to start looking earlier so they have more time to make an informed decision.

* Talk to your mentee about scholarships and other financial support. Encourage them to write about their stories, their goals, and their reasons for going to college and sending them in as essays for scholarship money for college. http://www.scholarshiphelp.org/ is a site to help them take a look at the different types of scholarships available. Encourage them to search for scholarships in their local area, as well as talking with their high school, religious organizations, employer, and the universities they are planning to apply to.

* Direct them to the FAFSA website and talk with them about financial aid. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ contains a lot of information for applicants about different types of aid and how to apply. Let your mentee know that there is a lot of aid out there and the responsibility would not have to fall on her parents. Scheduling an appointment with a college financial aid officer is a great way to give them an idea of what they will need to do and what might be out there.

* Talk with your mentee about working students and how many jobs are flexible with students’ class schedules, especially on-campus jobs.

* Encourage them to be wary of credit card companies that often target young adults and discuss with them the pros and cons of credit cards.

* Talk with them about different resources out there - friends, school counselors, teachers, and online sites (such as: http://www.college.gov/wps/portal ) and other online forums where students discuss their decisions, what worked and what didn’t.

Funding Resources for Undocumented Students:

Adsum Education Foundation

SB Scholarship Foundation

List of Scholarships Available

Additional List of Scholarships Available

MALDEF Law School scholarships

US Hispanic Leadership Institute

Davis-Putter Fund for ENROLLED College Students involved in Activism

Additional Resources:

College.gov

SB Scholarship Foundation

Financial Aid Finder