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FREMONT, CA
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The Joys of Mentoring By Shirley Gilbert Mentor: A wise and trusted counselor or teacher. Webster’s Dictionary |
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“I’m one of those busy people,” she continued, “who can’t say no to a project I really believe in.” And the project that Amna finds fascinating, absorbing and rewarding is being part of the AAUW Mentoring Program. Amna is co-chair of the program with Luzmarie Vallejo. The project’s mentoring efforts center around high school students in three Fremont schools: Irvington, Kennedy and Robertson. The overarching goal of the program is to encourage the girls to graduate and, in the appropriate cases, go on to college. There are eight AAUW Fremont branch members in mentoring: Amna and Luzmarie as well as Monica Kim, RoseMarie Everett, Julie Bjelland Lokhandwala, Vicki Baker, Karen McCready, and Mary Lynn Pelican. They engage in two types of mentoring: individual and group with most opting for individual mentoring. Amna is eminently qualified to co-chair the mentoring program. She has an MA in education from San Jose State University and teaches Academic, Career and Personal Exploration to undergraduate students at her alma mater. She also instructs a graduate class and, in that capacity, teaches potential student counselors who are destined to work in high schools. To add to her hectic schedule, she has two busy and growing sons who are 6 and 10 years old. She also volunteers at a local non-profit organization called SEMAH (Safety, Education, Mutual Respect, Awareness and Hope). Amna got interested in our branch when she read about the One Book, One Community’s Three Cups of Tea program and joined up soon after she saw Greg Mortenson in Fremont. “The book really resonated with me,” said Amna, “because I was born and raised in Pakistan and came to the U.S. to go to college.” |
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Empathy, flexibility and respect |
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What makes a good mentor, explained Amna, is empathy,
flexibility and a great respect and love for young people.
Our branch‘s mentoring efforts really help school counselors. This is because budget cuts and cuts in counseling staffs have overburdened counselors in our area’s schools. |
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What does a Mentor do? |
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“We are not expected to solve problems
or be saviors The process works best if we show we really care and act
as a considerate sounding board.”
What’s most important is to make certain that the students get to school as often as possible, do the best they can in their studies and overcome some of the barriers that keep them from being successful. Amna admitted there have been disappointments as a mentor but there have been many success stories as well. “Starting a new leaf with their mom, for example, deciding to stay in school or recognizing an avenue they would love to pursue in life – these instances are when we realize how important our role can be.” |
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A range of problems |
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“There’s quite a range of issues and
problems that high school students cope with these days.” “The range,”
acknowledged Amna, “goes from problems connected with being in a gang or knowing
gang members to relationship concerns. Others need to care for siblings and can’t
go to school. And some parents use and abuse drugs. It’s all over the map but having
someone to listen to the problems helps a great deal.”
Amna would like to attract many more AAUW members to enroll in the program. The group also has regular meetings to discuss successes and concerns, to provide hands-on training, to share resources, and to learn and grow together. |
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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A MENTOR, CALL THE AAUW FREMONT BRANCH AT 510-728-9700. They will let Amna know and she will contact you. |
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