SAYA Middle Schoolers get Matched with High School Mentors

Mentee Luis, Grade 7 at OWN Charter School and Co-Mentors Ronnie and Shormi of SAYA Elmhurst Center

BY SHORMI, GRADE 11

Mentoring at the Our World Neighborhood Charter School is an amazing experience. Middle school is a tough time for all preteens, it's when they start to discover more about themselves and the world around them. Meeting these kids reminds me of my middle school experience, and forces me to remember the person I was in middle school. Aware of how much of a struggle being a preteen can be, mentoring these kids is really fulfilling.

Knowing that they are part of this program because they want someone to talk to and hang out with makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and meaningful. Mentoring doesn't feel like a chore, it feels more like an opportunity. I feel that me and my mentee Luis were a smart match. We have many things in common, like our interests in art and anime. It was cool because these factors definitely built a better connection between us.