My last post, I brought up some of the additional roles that a high school security guard will play from time to time – Mentor! Sometimes that role is unexpected and other times I initiated. I am going to share a couple of stories of my mentorship roles within my 3 years as a high school security guard.
FIRST EXAMPLE:
My very first year within the first couple of weeks I has a particular student stop by my post during class period. I asked her where she was going and she said I have a bathroom pass. All good! When she came out of the bathroom, she stopped and asked a few questions to get to know me better. Of course, I am never shy sharing my background or anything that I have experienced in my life. Over the next couple of months, we talked more and the questions got deeper into my choices from high school to adulthood. I shared that I grow up in lower middle class family that going to college was going to be difficult for me unless I went the Military School route or ROTC. I was going to be the first family member to go to college! I was put on West Points waiting list (didn’t make it), so I went the ROTC route at New Mexico Military in Roswell, NM. The onto UofA and ASU – never did finish my 4 year degree, but did get my Associates.
I really was not thinking as to why or the end game. I was more focused on doing the best that I can at my new role. To me those questions and discussions were just building a relationship with a student. Just before we went off for Xmas break, she came up to me to inform me that she was going to sign up to go into the Navy. I congratulated her on her course. I did ask, “Why?” She shared that all of the times that we talked she was impressed with my stories and how I shared the what and why’s to my path. She sat down and charted her path. She invited me to be there when you signed on her military paperwork. That was truly an example of not intending to mentor, but just be giving time and experiences you can mentor.
SECOND EXAMPLE:
I have another example that I want to share that it was truly my intention of mentoring this young man. I noticed him my first year, he was by himself at lunch. I felt like I wanted to strike up a conversation at one of those lunch periods. He was a junior at the time, but due to his schedule he had to have the lunch period that was mostly freshman. He really did not have anything in common with that group of students. He felt out of place. I thought it would be helpful for him to have someone else to talk with. When we had time and my lunch location permitted – we talked. We said hello daily. We kept that up throughout that my first year. My second year, his senior year – his lunch was with the junior and the seniors that had full days. We still ran into each other and kept up our discussions going.
Around the end of football season, the student came to me and seemed extremely distressed. He no longer had his safe haven of being on the football team. He also just had a meeting with his guidance counselor and graduating on time was in jeopardy. He came to me, to share the bad news. We talked for the whole conference period, about 20 mins. I asked the questions about his classes and what was going on. I focused on those that would definitely hurt his chances at graduating on time. He was honest and told me he just does not understand and those classes are too tough for him. We were running out of time, so I made a commitment to him that we would meet every week during conference period and talk to develop strategies and tutor if necessary. All he needed to do was come to my position (wherever I was during that period). He came and we worked and worked. He told me he is not a student and college is not in the cards. I told him, there are many other things he could do. I drilled him on his interest’s and what he is excited about. This was a good exercise for him as I got to see what made is eye’s light up. He found his passion and we talked about strategies for him to get there. Trade school, on the job training, and anything else we could think of.
After a couple of months, I truly saw a new person walking the halls. Graduating was still in jeopardy, but when the pandemic hit – he was close enough that he did graduate. When it came time for him to walk. He and his family were there. Due to COVID that senior class graduation was voluntary with no one in the stands to watch. I told him I was proud of him. He called his mom and dad over and introduced me to them. Once graduation started, his mom pulled me aside and thanked me for helping out her son. All I could do is say thanks and it was my pleasure.
Mentoring comes in many fashions. The formal ones that most people in the work environment know. As an older adult in a high school – formal mentoring is not something that I would have signed up for. I did in fact, mentor students either intentionally or unintentionally! Nothing made me prouder than those 2 examples I shared. I felt like I made a difference.
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