WF
MY TURN
Should My Child Have a Mentor?
34 Washington FAMILY JANUARY 2022
Diane and Skylar got together often during
their designated six weeks. They baked cookies
and cooked in the Boys & Girls Clubs kitchen (see
photo above). They also talked and listened to
one another. This point is a big key in mentorship:
A mentor provides advice, guidance, listening,
encouragement and time. That time builds trust
and a safe space for a mentee to ask questions
as well as become more open to listening—
committing experiences and conversation to
both short-term and long-term memory.

“If there’s a kid who’s not feeling
comfortable, mentors can make them feel
more comfortable, and they can help kids
focus on life and school,” Skylar recalls when
asked about her definition and understanding
of mentors. “Spending time with my mentor …
she made me feel comfortable. She was fun!”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
holds its annual Great Big Kid mentor-mentee
events in Virginia’s Alexandria, Prince William
County and Fairfax territories, but now
BGCGW plans to expand the program to its
Maryland Clubs for a region-wide mentor-
mentee consolidated effort.

Whether you are an adult looking to make
a difference and impact a young person, or
if you are a parent considering the benefits
of mentorship for your child, a Boys & Girls
Clubs mentor-mentee experience might be
the right fit for you. n
Robert A. Anderson is the communications
director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater
Washington. Visit bgcgw.org or call 202-540-2300
to learn more about mentoring opportunities.

PHOTO PROVIDED
A s parents, many of us already see
ourselves as our child’s mentor. We
provide advice and guide them.

So why should your child have a mentor?
It is true that we can receive mentorship
merits as parents, but a mentor who is not a
child’s parent can provide positive perspectives
that can cut through the monotony—and
sometimes monotone cadence—that a child
tunes out when delivered by a parent.

How many times have you heard the
same thing over and over from your parent,
but heard it amplified and slightly different
from a family friend or teacher? This extra,
external voice of reason can make all the
difference when it comes to a child making
a good and smart decision over a bad and
troublesome choice.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
(BGCGW) understands the advantages
and importance of the mentor and mentee
dynamic. Young people who meet regularly
with a mentor are 40% more likely to graduate
high school on time, 55% more likely to
enroll in college and 51% more likely to hold
leadership positions later in life.

Having steady, positive influences at key
times in a child’s life can lead to increased
confidence and self-esteem and improved
academic performance and relationships, while
helping a child realize one’s true potential.

“My previous experiences as a mentor have
shown me the added impact,” says Diane
Hinrichs, a Washington, D.C. paralegal and
Boys & Girls Clubs mentor. “Adult attention
and mentoring can provide positive role
models and help to boost self-esteem, as well
as help the young person deal with challenges.”
Hinrichs became involved as a Boys & Girls
Clubs of Greater Washington mentor with
10-year-old Skylar during BGCGW’s 2021 Great
Big Kid mentor-mentee fundraising program.

Great Big Kid is an annual signature fundraising
event. Each year, regional board members
identify six community leaders to serve as
outstanding mentors (“Great Big Kids”) to
local Club kids. Over a six-week period, these
mentors are paired up with designated Club
kids (“mentees”). They meet with a Club kid,
supporting the child academically and socially
and during activities that foster bonding.

BY ROBERT A. ANDERSON



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