Mentoring

"Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction."

-----John Crosby

Why should I have a Mentor?

Perspective and Experience. A mentor can give you the benefit of his or her perspective and experience.  

Think Outside the Box. A mentor can help you look at situations in new ways. He or she can ask hard questions and help you solve problems.

Define and Reach Long-Term Goals. A mentor can help you define your career path and ensure that you don’t lose focus and continue down that road even when you become distracted by day-to-day pressures.

Accountability. When you know you are meeting with your mentor, you ensure that all the tasks you discussed in your last meeting are completed.

Trusted Colleague to Discuss Issues. A mentor can be a great sounding board for all issues – whether you are having difficulty with your family or friends, an ethical dilemma, or need advice on how to tackle a new project, or which college to go to.

Champion and ally. A mentor who knows you well can be a strong champion of your positive attributes and an ally during any bumpy spots in your life.

Expand your contacts and network. A mentor can help expand your network of contacts. This can be very important when applying for jobs, colleges, and scholarships.

Inspire. A mentor whose life you admire can be a strong inspiration

Work better. With the help of a good mentor, you can work more efficiently with a clearer view of the future you are trying to achieve. 

At TEAM we have College age students who are wanting to be there for YOU in the way YOU need them to be. They can help YOU with figuring out what YOU want to be when YOU grow up, help YOU fix a problem in school or YOUR personal life, or just be someone YOU have fun with.  This relationship is all about YOU!

At TEAM we also have the great opportunity to work with the After-School Club and help mentor the Elementary students at Wilson Elementary. Growing up, were there people in your life who offered you encouragement, shared their experiences and knowledge, and sometimes just listened when you needed to talk? This is the chance for you to give back and pay it forward. Be that mentor to someone else, that your mentor was to you. 

Don't forget we meet Monday and Thursday after-school at Logan High from 3-5:30 PM.

See you there! 

PRIORITIES . . . One Word for a yearly focus.

This week for Arts we continued focusing on our one-word project for the year. 

After a week of thinking, the students came back and began brainstorming and designing words to become their yearly motto. Finding a word to guide all aspects of your life for a year can prove a bit tough, as some of the students discovered, but after discussion everyone found a word that fit their goals. Words mentioned included:

Diligence

Dedication

Simplicity

Laughter

Service

Priorities

Talk of how to design the words on the 3D printer also took place. Some students plan to make a design that printed each letter separately as connecting pieces while others plan to create one single piece for the entire word. Now that we have designs on paper, the next step is designing the words on the cad program!

Prepared by Mollie O'Donnell

My One Word

Arts: One Word

With the beginning of the New Year comes a list of resolutions. A list of goals, some specific, some vague, to be completed in 12 months time. However, often these goals can be lofty and are quickly forgotten or broken early on in the year. This idea of resolutions, without the shattered lists, can be fixed with the idea of one word. The book One Word by Gordan, Britton, and Page, has changed the way many people view resolutions and has even come to change lives. The idea is that individuals choose one word to essentially guide their life for a year. One word that will relate to all aspects of their life. 

This one word will become the driving factor behind decisions that they make. Examples of success have come from words including believe, commitment, faith, courage, strength, and many more. For arts this week we shared this concept with the students and asked that they choose a word to guide them for the year. This then relates to arts as we will create a 3D version of the words using the new 3D printing technology that is being incorporated into TEAM. It will be exciting to see the “One Words” that come out of this!

Prepared by Mollie O'Donnell

What Can You Learn From a Quarter, A Nickel and a Dime?

STEM

This week’s STEM activity was a milder one, but it had some far reaching ideas. We discussed 

momentum, how it is a physical and a mental phenomenon. To demonstrate this we took a quarter and placed it on the table. Then, we slid a nickel and a dime at it in turn and observed its reaction. We found that if we slid the nickel at the same speed as the dime, the nickel would make the quarter move further every time. But, we also found that if we slid the dime faster, it could match the displacement caused by the nickel. What we were observing was momentum in action. Since momentum equals mass times a velocity (p = m X v), something with smaller mass (the dime) can have the same momentum as something much heavier (the nickel) with an increase in its velocity. We also talked a little bit about inertia and how it is harder to start or stop an object than it is to keep it in motion. This led us into our next discussion.

While this experiment wasn’t quite as explosive as some of others, we decided to relate it to ourselves. We decided that it is always very difficult to start doing our homework, but once we start it, the hardest part is over. Same thing with bad habits. If we’re stuck in a rut and can’t quite seem to get out, don’t despair. The initial change is always the hardest part, but once you’ve made that change, it is sooo much easier to keep from doing it again. Keeping your momentum going is always easier than having to restart all the time. Hopefully this simple act of seeing quarters and nickels colliding will help them remember that lesson. I know it’s helped me.

Prepared by Ben Lovett

Creating Signage for the Upcoming Composting Project!

 

SERVICE

For TEAM’s service project this week we have focused on helping promote a composting program that will be implemented at the Wilson Elementary School. 

Our TEAM members have really enjoyed creating posters to go around the school, relating to recycling and composting food. We believe that this will be a wonderful opportunity for the Wilson School students to get involved in a great cause and making a difference. We are also grateful for the opportunity to help make this possible.



Prepared by Anna Donaldson

Teacher Appreciation Dinner

Students of TEAM organized a teacher appreciation dinner where they served soup, salad, and dessert at Logan High School.

The dinner was to thank teachers for all the hard work they apply each semester. It was also a great opportunity for TEAM members, mentors, and coordinators to inform teachers about the organization in order to get more students involved.  Information on meeting times, places, types of activities, and basic goals and values of TEAM were made aware to all teachers through greetings and pamphlets.

TEAM is an excellent way for students to get involved in their school and community! There is so many different experiences to be had through the organization.

We hope all teachers who attended were pleased with their experience and hope to recruit some more members to help strengthen our organization because "Together Everyone Achieves More!"

Why and How USU students should get involved

TEAM mentoring is a great opportunity for USU students for numerous reasons. The mentoring program gives wonderful experience that becomes an asset to any resume. Especially for USU students looking to get into education, counseling, or a number of related fields, TEAM provides firsthand knowledge about what certain future careers may entail. Furthermore, TEAM allows USU students to become a part of the community and serve. The atmosphere of working with the high school students to ease their troubles regarding high school and college preparation is so rewarding. Seeing the difference one can make in others lives with a bit of extra listening and effort enhance self-worth and outlook on life. Additionally, by signing up through a group known as AmeriCorps, USU students can earn a scholarship by being a part of TEAM that can help them further their own education. AmeriCorps members sign up for certain hourly commitments to be completed within a years time. Getting involved in TEAM mentoring is easy! By contacting the program coordinators, anyone can start the simple online application process today!

Health and Nutrition

Part of the TEAM’s goals are to create a healthy and physical environment in order to form good lifelong habits within its members. There is no doubt that living a healthy lifestyle is very important in helping to relieve stress, become physically fit, and reduce the risk of certain diseases.

Every meeting, there are a variety of healthy snacks provided for the students and a portion of our time together dedicated to physical activity of some sort. Since I have become a mentor I’ve had the opportunity to participate in Yoga, basketball, missionary tag, dodge ball, and capture the flag. 

There are so many options when it comes to physical activity, many that don’t even make you feel like you’re exercising! TEAM coordinators and mentors are open to any ideas students can bring to meetings that involve physicality. This portion of our time together really is the most enjoyable, in my opinion. Not only are the students getting their exercise with fun activities, but they are also learning about teamwork and leadership!

STEM

 Science, Technology, Engineering, Math

  

      Once a week our lesson or activity for the day will be focused on STEM. As an important part of the TEAM curriculum, STEM provides students with valuable information about an area so important in school, society, and in everyday life. Science, technology, engineering, and math are growing fields of study that continue to improve lifestyles around the globe.

      One STEM activity involved students from USU coming to teach the Logan High students about the brain. They brought a sheep's brain and taught about the structure and uses of each part. They then dissected it to really give the students an idea of what the inside of a brain looks like.

                                                      For another activity the students learned how to make lava lamps using canola oil, water, Alka-Seltzer tablets, and food coloring. By combining these ingredients in a plastic bottle, they were able to see how the elements reacted together to form what resembled a lava lamp.

     Activities such as these provide a great learning atmosphere while also proving a lot of fun for the students!

Scholarships

Although college is expensive, there are many ways around the financial discouragement of having the opportunity to attend. One of these ways (and the ideal way for most) is through scholarships.  Scholarships are academic allowances given by certain companies or organizations, either local or national, to students of outstanding achievement. There are many different types of scholarships, all of different amounts and requirements. Some require a high GPA while others look more at the extracurricular activities one participated in. Some are based on ethnic race and others look at writing ability or even strange talents! The options are truly limitless when it comes to finding a scholarship right for you.

Here is a website to search for a scholarship match for you personally:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search

Here at TEAM, we do our best to make sure all our students are prepared for their future education by helping with scholarship applications. If needed, we advise through every step of the process to make sure these kids stand out amongst the crowd of applicants. We really gain satisfaction in seeing all students succeed in obtaining their dreams! We are keen to listen and advise with anything we can while being certain we are giving the students their own voice throughout the process.

FAFSA and Financial Aid

Paying for college is often the biggest barrier separating people from a degree. At TEAM we teach the students about the various forms of aid available to them so they know that college is attainable for all. Through FAFSA and financial aid, the US government, states, and colleges themselves  make college affordable for students from every background.

 

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The application can be found and completed easily online.  It is the form that students must submit to determine need analysis based on their family’s financial information. Through this application, examined by federal processors and sent to the student’s chosen colleges, the colleges will then determine eligibility for state, federal, and college financial aid.

 

Financial aid comes in a number of forms:

·         Grants and Scholarships: The preferred form of aid would be grants and scholarships because they do not have to be paid back. Grants are awarded solely on the basis of financial need. Scholarships on the other hand can be awarded based on need, academics, interests, service, area of study, and various other measures. In each case, an institution simply gives the student money to finance their schooling.

·         Loans: Another form of aid that allows students to earn college degrees is student loans. These loans can be either federal or private, but regardless, must be paid back, and often with interest. Loans require the individual to enter into a binding contract in which he or she promises to repay the borrowed money after a specified amount of time, generally in the years following graduation.

·         Work Study: The final form of aid available through the FAFSA application is known as work-study. This program provides part-time employment for a student at their college to help them finance their education.

College is expensive, there is no denying that. It is important that high school students learn that through scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study, financing such an endeavor is possible for all. The education one gains at the college level will create opportunities that make obtaining a degree worth every penny.

What I gained from Tutoring

When I signed up for TEAM Mentoring in March, one of the first things I learned I’d be doing was tutoring. This made me extremely excited because I felt the opportunity to help younger students with subjects I had previously been through was one of the best ways I could give back to my community.

School was always kind of fun for me, although I struggled in technical subjects like Math and Science, I felt I could contribute to most other subjects. Little did I know, however, that a lot of the mentors were strong suited in the same subjects as well so sometimes I was partnered up with a student who needed help in Geometry or Algebra. Now, I wasn’t terrible at these subjects in high school, it sometimes just took me longer to figure out the problems. This refresher was really good for me and made me think a little harder than if I were to have always helped students in English or History.

Thus far, TEAM has pushed me to want to be better in certain areas in order to help others succeed. It really is such a satisfying feeling to sit down with a student, tutor them on a concept at hand, and seeing their faces light up with excitement when they understand. I definitely now understand why teachers do what they do and why many of them try to push their students to the limit. I think sometimes as students we think our teachers gain satisfaction in killing us with a what-seems-impossible workload.  But really, they are simply preparing us for the big professional world!

What I Gained From Tutoring

I am fairly new to the TEAM mentoring program. Having joined in March, I was only a mentor three months before summer came and ended our regular sessions. However, in just those three months I came to really enjoy being part of something so great.

People always say that helping others is where you find yourself. This couldn't be more true for me as a mentor these past few months. I originally joined TEAM because I saw a poster on the USU campus that advertised a program where one could mentor high school students. Because I'm going to school to become a high school guidance counselor, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get some experience and see if my chosen career path is one that I would really enjoy. TEAM validated for me on a whole new level that the decision I made was the right one.

When I was a junior in high school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Yet, college application deadlines were quickly approaching, where I knew I had to declare a major. After much thought on the issue I began to wonder why I had not received more guidance on exploring career options and forming life goals earlier in my high school career. I began to think that there most have been more someone could have done to help us prepare for life beyond high school. Therefore, I decided I wanted to become a school guidance counselor to help students realize their dreams at a time most critical to their futures. And even more than that, provide the resources and support to help them get there.

TEAM is a program that does exactly that, and more, for the students at Logan High School. Academic tutoring makes sure students will graduate. College readiness (ACT prep, scholarships, FAFSA) ensures that they will get into and be able to afford the college of their choice. Teambuilding encourages friendships and builds life skills of cooperation. STEM teaches them about various fields of study so they can discover what interests them. Service and civic engagement not only build their college applications but teaches them the importance of charity and being involved in ones community.


Being a part of TEAM proved to me that my goals were not unfounded or unrealistic. Helping youth through the various obstacles and challenges associated with high school and future planning  is so needed and so fulfilling. Tutoring allows you to help others, learn about yourself, and form wonderful friendships in the process. I'm grateful to be a part of such an amazing organization that allows me to get so much through giving.

A Favorite Team Building Activity and What I Learned From it

At TEAM we begin each day with  a team building exercise. Often times these activities take the form of games. Therefore they prove a great way to have fun while working together and learning more about one another. One such game that I really enjoyed was a human art project game. With our bodies we had to form a statue of sorts. We were placed in various poses where each person was touching at least two others. One individual would place another in a particular pose. Then the posed person would choose another to pose the person who had just posed them. This continued on until the first person to be posed called that time was up. 

If you gave someone a hard pose, such as a push-up position, they would pick someone to pose you who they knew would give you a harder pose back. In this sense the game related to life: the way you treat people often reflects the way they treat you in return. I have seen this in my life with co-workers, fellow students, and family members. Being kind to another will create a relationship wherein each person is willing and eager to help the other person, not make life difficult for them. In essence it portrayed the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. Furthermore, many poses were hard to hold for such an extended amount of time. There was a great deal of muscle shaking and yelled versions of  "Come on! Let's end this!" However, we were able to help each other by sharing the weight and pass time more quickly by laughing with each other instead of focusing on how uncomfortable we were. This too reflects reality wherein struggles are easier to bear when you learn to lean on friends and find the good amid the bad. We all know that life can be so hard at times. I've learned that when I rely on friends and family, and take time to have fun and laugh when I'm overly stressed, things always turn out okay. 

Not only are team building activities enjoyable, but they remind us all the importance of working together and realizing each other's strengths to get past our weaknesses. 

America the Beautiful

As citizens experience hardship in today’s economy and as acts of violence and terrorism seem to occupy much of the media today, it makes it difficult for anyone to remember what made our great nation one of the strongest, most respected countries in the world. The appreciation I hold in my heart for all, both past and present, who have acted with integrity and bravery for the benefit of my beloved country cannot be sufficiently expressed.

Having the opportunity to visit several different countries in Europe was one of the biggest eye openers for me. It put a whole new perspective on how I view the world and gave me a greater appreciation for my homeland. I witnessed struggle. People on every street corner begging for anything you could spare. People along the sidewalks in bitter cold conditions with children and elderly that had no more than the shirt on their backs and maybe a thin blanket to keep warm, most with no shoes. I know that much of it was honest struggle, I saw too much of it for it not to be. So, with that picture now implanted in my mind, I have developed a new love, a new respect for America and the opportunity and the freedom she offers to all.

Although it is difficult to keep in mind at times, especially in our current economic state, we really do live in the greatest nation. I truly do believe America’s creation was divinely inspired. She was created with the intentions of freedom, justice, and liberty for all citizens. She grants people the freedoms to speak freely, practice one's own religion, and publish writings such as what I deliver to you today. America is created on the foundation of opportunity, honesty, and hard work. May we, as responsible citizens, never abuse what our remarkable nation offers us.

 Freedom to me means the freedom of choice. The freedom of what I want in life and having the opportunity to take me there. The freedom of being a woman without worry of restrictions that would hold me back from my goals and dreams. There is nothing more comforting or inspiring than the thought of my freedom. So today, as we celebrate the first and most important historical event as the United States of America, let’s not let our thoughts be so preoccupied with the annual social events and activities that we forget about exactly what made America the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

=

What America Means to Me

Stars and stripes. Baseball and barbeques. Ford and fireworks. These are the things that I immediately picture when I hear the word America. Yet, when I ponder what America really means to me, abstract adjectives replace rather basic nouns. America truly means freedom, bravery, and pride.

 

The association of America with freedom is so common as to seem cliché, but freedom and equality will never be overused or go out of style. America was founded as a place where the individual could think freely and live according to his or her own beliefs. It served as a land of opportunity where hard work would merit profit. Both of these ideals still hold true today. People came to America seeking freedom of choice, and that’s what they received. For me this means I can practice the religion I want, attend the school I want, and attain the career I want. Living in The United States of America allows me the privilege of fating my own life.

When acknowledging the true meaning of America I can’t help but remember and appreciate those whom I owe for the freedoms I spoke of above. From the founding of our country, through two world wars, to current political problems across the globe, countless men and women have fought to protect the land we hold so dear. American heroes embody bravery. Acknowledging the lives lost, picturing the countless memorials erected for them, and thinking of all they gave up to stand for something great, I can’t help but associate our nation with courage and valor.

 

 

It’s no secret that Americans are a group who love their country. The countless flags hoisted around the nation provide proof of the patriotism so prevalent. The silence of great crowds when the National Anthem is performed at various events is evidence to me of the respect the American people hold for the nation. I can honestly say that I am proud to be a part of a country that grants so much and for a people that acknowledge its good. Pride in this nation for freedoms and opportunities, and those who made such possible, will forever be a defining characteristic of the American people.  

Lee Greenwood summed up America in its true form- freedom, bravery, and pride- perfectly in but a few short lines: “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today, cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land, God bless the USA.” I love and hold gratitude for this beautiful country we live in. This time of year reminds me of how lucky I am to have been born in The United States. The Fourth of July, Independence Day, gives us all a chance to celebrate America and what it stands for. However, I do think we could all aim to remember, even just a little more frequently throughout the year, what America really means.

 

Service and Leadership

Though leadership may not be the first word that comes to mind when one ponders the benefits of service, the two do go hand in hand. Service not only builds, but requires, leadership skills. According to the business dictionary leadership involves:

1. Establishing a clear vision

2. Sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly

3. Providing the information, knowledge, and methods to realize that vision

4. Coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholders

Effective service necessitates all these aspects of leadership to adequately serve a particular group. First, a vision is needed. A group to serve must be chosen; a purpose must be formed. Without a clear vision, a service organization will be futile, lacking clear direction. In TEAM our goal is to help youth not only graduate high school but prepare for college and life after graduation. Furthermore, TEAM allows the youth to take part in many service opportunities around Cache Valley. Some of these projects include Relay for Life, helping with the after-school program at Wilson Elementary, Loaves and Fishes, safe driving rallies, and many more.

Second, sharing the vision with others proves a necessity. Service requires leadership as one must recruit others to join their cause. The influence of one person is certainly felt to a degree, but the influence of many willing hands can have monumental effects. One of the most crucial elements of successful service organizations is their ability to recruit members and volunteers. TEAM, with only one mentor, would prove an ineffective program. We need mentors and youth to lead by recruiting more mentors and more high school students to join, thus keeping the program running year after year for the benefit of all.

Third, a plan to accomplish the vision must be created. This generally occurs early on in the creation of an organization such as TEAM, but must also occur throughout for different events and activities. Our site coordinators formulate the weekly and monthly plans and let everyone know what is expected of them. The youth also have opportunities to lead as they become heads of certain service projects themselves.

 Finally, the interests of all members of the organization must be coordinated. The program director and site coordinators make sure that the mentors and youth alike know what is expected of them via email or face-to-face communication. Leadership comes in as each individual is responsible for a certain aspect of the program- from bringing materials, to planning an activity, to simply showing up at a certain place at a certain time.

Overall, successful service requires leadership on the part of all the individuals involved. As they formulate a goal, recruit others, work toward the vision, and maintain personal responsibilities leadership qualities are utilized and strengthened.

  

  

Youth organize food donated into backpacks to give to needy families.

Blogpost written by Mollie O'Donnell