From Meredith

Hey Everyone!

As you all probably know, I am now working as a Program Coordinator for iMentor, an amazing non-profit organization that provides New York City high school students with volunteer mentors.

iMentor is a fantastic way to volunteer and provides much needed support for New York City youth.  Using an innovative, technology-based approach to mentoring, iMentor participants communicate with one another via email on iMentor Interactive (read more about iMentor’s mission and iMentor Interactive at www.imentor.org), and also participate in iMentor program events.

As a Program Coordinator, I work with students in their classrooms once a week, match them with mentors from the NYC area and facilitate, monitor and support their relationship throughout the year.  I see the students all the time in school and at events, and I have come to know and love all of them.  Even more rewarding, I have seen them grow tremendously as students and as young people as their relationships with their mentors continue to develop. 

Currently, I work with the entire junior class at Brooklyn International High School located in Downtown Brooklyn as well as an assortment of 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at Queens Vocational and Technical High School in Long Island City, Queens. 

My students at BIHS are intelligent, friendly, extremely positive, hungry for good conversation and love to debate.  BIHS is one of the few international schools we work with at iMentor -- the student body is representative of over 40 countries, and most students have been in the country three years or less.  Focusing on improving English and acclimating to the United States, my students benefit from regular contact with adults, and for many, their mentors are their first American friends. 

My students at QVTHS are bright, outgoing, and spunky.  They are focused on their future and soak up any information available about college, careers, internships and summer jobs.  QVTHS is unique because each student chooses a “major” which they focus on all throughout their high school career.  Options range from plumbing to graphic design, electrical to business, but all iMentor students are from the cosmetology or business departments.  Upon graduation and successful completion of all courses, all students will receive a certification/license to work in their major specific field. Their mentors are a valuable resource for them as they go through the college application process and work to finish high school in NYC.

My students brighten my day every time I am in their class, and benefit so much from the help of a volunteer mentor.  I am extremely lucky to be a part of this organization, and to be able to interact directly with these wonderful teenagers.

I’m also fortunate enough to serve not only as a Program Coordinator, but also as a mentor to an extremely smart young lady who attends Catherine McAuley High School in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.  Marielle, my mentee, is in 9th grade and is ridiculously intelligent.  She dorms at Catherine McAuley during the week, and goes home to her apartment in Washington Heights on the weekends.  She’s on the track team, is very driven academically (she wants to go to University of Miami), and even as a freshman she is constantly trying to prepare herself for college.  We email every Tuesday during her iMentor session, but sometimes we exchange more emails during the week (she has a very active social life that she needs to update me on).  She has so much potential, is a natural leader, and she’s stubborn enough to have a good discussion but open minded enough to change her mind.  She takes fierce stands on issues that are important to her, and is very close with her family and loyal to her friends. 

Being a mentor to Marielle has given me a whole new, more positive perspective on iMentor, and I can honestly say that I am learning just as much from her as I hope that she is from me.  We will be matched for 4 years, so I will be with her all through high school, as she goes through the college application process, and as she graduates to be a superstar! 

So, let’s get down to business. . .

iMentor needs your help!  We are accepting any donations of any amount, so please give what you can and feel good about it!  You are helping an amazing organization that I believe very strongly in, and one that is quickly growing.  In this year alone, we are providing 800 New York City high school students with mentors, and next year’s program will be even bigger!  The cost to support each mentor/mentee pair stands at roughly $1000 per pair, per year.  Please help us improve our programming and support the students that have quickly become part of my big iMentor family! 

100% of your donation goes directly to the students!

Thanks!  Love to all y’all!