Harriman High School
Harriman, Tennessee
Teacher: Nancy Newcomb
MENTORING CAN HELP
By
Ashley Clough
10th
Grade
In this world today, many people seem to be attacking life by themselves. No one can truly be successful at life without the help and guidance from others. Wouldn’t it be reassuring as a teenager, growing up in a somewhat confusing world, to know that you have an older and wiser person to help you along the way?
One way of providing kids with good role models and guidance is through mentoring. A mentor is a wise and trusted advisor. Mentoring can be helpful in more ways than one. Not only is it valuable to the person being mentored, but it can also be rewarding to the mentor. Who can be a mentor? Almost anyone: retirees, housewives, businessmen, career women…anyone who has experience at life.
In many of the U.S. homes today both parents work outside the home. There are also more single parent homes today. In these situations kids are left to take care of themselves. The only role models they may see are fictitious or negative. Growing up today, there are many decisions that need to be made. Some kids are not as fortunate as others who have parents to talk with them are.
Suppose you are an 11-year-old boy living in Smalltown, USA. Your dad is an alcoholic, and your mom works two jobs just to pay the bills and buy groceries. Your day consists of rolling out of bed just in the nick of time, getting dressed and eating a bite of breakfast (if you’re lucky). You arrive at school just before the tardy bell rings. You go through the day of classes with seemingly little interest and absolutely no purpose of why you have to go to school in the first place. When the dismissal bell finally rings, you trudge home, stopping along the way to chat and have a cigarette with some older guys that hang out near your house. You arrive home to a dark, dingy, half-furnished apartment, and the smell of whisky is overwhelming. Your dad is lying across the bed mumbling something. You fix yourself a can of soup and sit down to an evening of television. You fall asleep without getting your assigned homework and are awakened at midnight by your mom who has just come in from work.
Another, totally opposite, situation where a mentor would be useful and appreciated is the following. Suppose you are a 15-year-old girl from Uppertown, USA. You have a decent life, with both parents living at home. They do both work, but they provide you with enough love and attention, and your basic needs are certainly met. Up until now you have led a fairly sheltered life. Your view of the world is what you’ve come to know in your nice, cozy little home. You’re in high school, and college is just down the road. You’re very much interested in sports and…boys. As you ponder life in general, you begin to plan your future. What college should you attend? What, if any, career path should you choose?
As you can see from these examples I have brought to your attention, teenagers have many important decisions they have to make. Having an older and wiser person to explore our curiosity about life helps us learn what’s out there. I hope you realize that mentoring is very important. So I challenge you, retiree, just because you no longer work doesn’t mean your life has ended. You probably have done and witnessed many valuable lessons in your lifetime, which could be shared with today’s youth.
Being a mentor allows one to make a large or small impact on someone’s life. For instance, John W. Barry took a hands-on approach to making a difference. This man, in my opinion, is very remarkable and helps younger generations. Barry has set up homes for kids to attend while trying to go through college. He has also given numerous amounts of money in scholarships to misfortunate kids. He supplies them with more than material things—he is also a good role model. If more people were like John W. Barry, the younger generations would have more knowledge on life’s standards and expectations instead of being “in the dark.”
Today’s teenager has more to think about than in the past. By having an older and wiser person that has been through the times a teenager is about to approach helps tremendously. I hope you can see how important and rewarding mentoring can be if you actually tried to share your lifetime experiences with others.
You could compare life with a board game you played as a child. Someone is ahead of you and someone is behind. The people ahead of you can help you overcome the obstacles you are about the face. At the same time, you can be a mentor to the person behind you in the game of life.
ANSWERS TO REQUIRED READING
Q1-How does society invest in marriage in the USA and in Manus?
A-To make a stronger marriage, love God first; each other second
-Some marriages are for the money
-Communication plays a major part in making a marriage work
-If not married, having a child makes a concern for marriage
Q2-Interview 10 married people. (No names.) State the length and number of each one’s marriages and a line or two of advice from each on how to maintain a long, happy relationship
A-21 years, 1 time: appreciate one another, compromise
-18 years, 1 time: go into it knowing it won’t be perfect
-27 years, 1 time: two-way street, communication
-5 years, 2 times: honesty and communication
-18 years, 1 time: equal grounds and honesty
-12 years, 1 time (divorced): know the person before you marry them
-25 years, 1 time: keep your wife happy
-7 years (first), 15 years (second): communication and consideration of others’ feelings
-32 years, 1 time: communication
-29 years, 1 time: have good sense of humor throughout everything
Q3-According to Richard Eckersley, what should our collective goal be?
A-We should choose to live to save the world
Q5-Comment on the excerpts from “Tomorrow’s Child.”
A-I think Chris is a very lucky kid. Not many kids today have their parents around them all the time. By having their parents around, kids learn more on responsibility. The idea on giving a doll to a lonely kid seems pointless. A kid doesn’t want a doll for a parent. If people are in a financial problem, they shouldn’t give up, just try harder to succeed.
Q6-How does the fact the USA is a democracy make lawyers particularly helpful, according to Kathleen Sullivan? How does our diversity, wealth and size make lawyers particularly helpful?
A-“The notion of democracy, going with individualism and social fluidity, is deeply ingrained in our culture (lawyers) help, like other intermediaries-between individuals and the state-protect us from the danger of tyranny of the majority." Social mobility, none of us is born into a tribe, caste or social status, or into a guide or faction from which we can’t escape.
Q7-Ms. Sullivan claims bad practices are changed either by regulations or punitive damages. Which do you prefer and why? Can you think of an alternative?
A-I think that there should be punitive damages because it is ridiculous to put a regulation on how coffee has to be. It just really depends on the situation if there should be punitive damages or regulations.
Q8-Briefly describe three ways society would benefit from the coming retirement of baby boomers, according to the required reading.
A-Grabber: “During the first decades of the twenty-first century, the baby boomers will retire just at the Generation X’ers settle down and create a new baby boom.”
The baby boomers’ generation is the most educated and healthy generation in history. This generation will probably start up their own businesses. They may hire retirees.
The settled-down X’ers will need care not only for their children, but for their aging parents as well. By 2020, there will be roughly one individual over 65 for every four working-age adults. In order to attract and keep talented employees, some companies may offer on-site, non-medical “elder-care” facilities just as they provide day care for children. Increased productivity and lower absenteeism would offset the cost of eldercare facilities.
The elderly who stay at home may provide opportunities for teenage entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurial nanny services, operated by and employing young people to perform duties for the elderly such as running errands and assisting with household chores.” The film reports many X’ers distrustful of corporations because of downsizing. They may go into business for themselves, providing a growing elderly market.
Clincher: The first decade of the 21st Century the baby boomers will retire and the healthiest, educated generation in history will create a new baby boom.
Q9-Evaluate the likelihood of President Clinton’s anti-poverty program making a real impact. Give at least three reasons to back up your conclusions.
A-I feel it is a good idea to bring to people’s attention. The first suggestion would be lower taxes for companies. Then, the second will encourage equity instead of commercial loans. And the final will give more money to people who provide shelter for people with financial problems.
Q10-Name three things Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have in common.
A-Each of the two men strongly believed in their religion. Cathy and Lewis went to church and kept their faith in the Lord. They also enjoyed working with children. Since they enjoyed children so well, they built schools and homes for kids that faced hardships. Another thing about Cathy and Lewis was that when people disagreed with their ideals, they never gave up. These men were remarkable, in my opinion.