Kinsley High School

Kinsley, Kansas

Teacher:  Dr. Galen R. Boehme

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Mentors Make a Difference

Presented by:

Miss Shasta Brown

 

 

A mentor helps cultivate talent and offers access to opportunities and insights. The need for mentoring at the elementary level is great.  Young people with mentors are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol, 53 percent less likely to skip school, 37 percent less likely to skip class, and 33 percent less likely to hit someone1.  The current mentoring program at Southside Elementary School could be expanded to involve high school students.

 

Mentors are ordinary people who care, listen, and build confidence.2  They can talk, to read, or to play sports with a needy individual.   At the local level, teachers have made themselves available both before and after school so students can come in and catch up on homework or talk.  Schools work together with the health department to insure that all children’s medical needs are met.  This service aids the less fortunate in providing their shots and physicals.  The school nurse has been actively working with the elementary students and is currently finding people from the high school or community who are willing to spend 10 to 15 minutes of their day with a child who needs them.  The nurse believes that “children are the message we will send to a time we will never see.”3  Many young people come from single-parent families, which causes more stress on the parent.  Mentors help out in this situation.  They help cultivate talent and offer access to opportunities and insights.4  The local Catholic Church has set up a grandparent program where older individuals in the community will occasionally come to the school and sit down and listen to the child read or help the child with his/her homework.  Grandparents sometimes help with supervision also.  The more people helping a child through life the better because “it takes a village to raise a child.”5  The smallest gestures of kindness people do can make the largest impact on a child’s life.

 

I propose that we as a community expand the mentoring programs so more elementary students will be reached.  As a writer for the local newspaper, I can publicize the work currently being conducted and inform the public of the benefits that both the child and the mentor will receive.  Many people in the community do not know the efforts the local school nurse is putting in to finding a mentor for the children who need one.  My articles can stress the benefits of mentoring.  Mentors feel a great sense of self-worth.  They know they are forever affecting the life of the child.  I can also give ideas about what individuals can do in hopes that the community will read my ideas and help me to act upon them.

 

Retired individuals need to be urged to begin making mentoring effective.  Older mentors around 65 years of age can greatly improve a child in school-related behavior, self-confidence and personal skills.  The grandparent program is a huge plus for the Catholic students.  This program needs to be expanded to the public elementary schools of the community as well.  Children are highly influenced by all types of people when they are young, and they need a mentor who can point them in the right direction and show them the right way to behave and treat people.

 

I as an individual can become involved in the mentoring program.  I can take time from my day to affect the life of someone else in a positive way.  If a child needs a mentor, I can offer my time.  What they are going through could very well be something I have already gone through and I will be able to lead them in the right direction.  I have had problems with school, friends, boyfriends and family members.  I know how to effectively solve those types of problems.  If I cannot help a child out, I can get advice from someone who knows and then help the child in every way possible.  When I go to college, I can join the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America.  The people in this program work hard to find mentors for individuals.  Being a part of something that makes a difference is something I have always wanted to do.

 

The National Honors Society at my school has recently established a tutoring/mentoring program.  Anyone can sign up to be tutored or mentored.  The only drawback of this program is that only the people in the National Honors Society can currently mentor or tutor.  I can work to expand the program to other organizations.  The KAYs Club has many members who would be more than willing to mentor a student; they only need someone to take the first step.  I can take the first step and sit down with the president of the club and work out a way to establish a strong program.  The local sororities and the Booster Club are very active in the community and are constantly looking for ways to become more involved.  I can inform them of the issue at hand and help them to establish a program, also.

 

Certainly many opportunities exist by making a difference by mentoring.  One just has to be willing to take the first step in hopes of making the life of a child better.

Endnotes

 

1 “Facts About Mentoring.”

 

2 “Save The Children: Do Good. Mentor a Child.”

 

3 McKinney, Classroom presentation.

 

4 Parvin, p. 130.

 

5 “Tutor/Mentor Connection.” Selected Bibliography

 

“Facts About Mentoring.”  Washington D.C., February 16, 2000.

                http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/prevention/factabou.htm.

 

McKinney, Judy.  Classroom presentation on “Personal Responsibility,” Kinsley, Kansas,

                February 3, 2000.

 

Parvin, Jean.  “Someone To Watch Over You.” Reader’s Digest, September 1992, pp.

                127-30.

 

“Save The Children:  Do Good.  Mentor a Child.”  February 11, 2000.

                http://www.savethechildren.org/mentors/mentor2a.html

 

“Tutor/Mentor Connection.”  February 11, 2000.

                http://www.tutormentorconnection.org/listings.asp?section=wheel

 

 

Responses to the Questions for Required Reading

 

 

Question 1:

How does society invest in marriage in the USA and in Manus?

 

            When we compare Manus people to the people of the United States, we find that the two groups differ greatly in the ways their society invests in marriage.

            In Manus, marriage is like an investment.  The parents spend a lot of time and energy looking for a reliable person for their son or daughter.  Parents want their children to marry a financially set person, not one who has little money or has gone bankrupt.  The society has a greater respect for those who have married and stayed together through many trials and tribulations. The couples are more involved personally.  Very little respect exists for those couples who have been divorced.

            In the United States, marriage seems to be much less of an issue. The rules of courtship are constantly changing and becoming more flexible.  Society has become more acceptable to “live-in friends.”  Many people will live together for years and have children but will not be married.  This sometimes proves to be a problem for the children, though.  It is proven that 75 percent of the children with non-married parents will eventually see their parents separate. Married people tend to lead happier and healthier lives while cohabitation comes in second.  The main emphasis is on the children.  The way their parents live can truly affect their lives, and it may not be for the better.  Seeing a family break up is not only hard on the adults, but it is also hard on the children.

            In closing, Manus societies invest a great deal in marriage and are more involved personally while people in the United States do not want to make that personal commitment.


Question 2:

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.

 

            Many marriages have been successful mainly due to good communication and trust between the two individuals.  These are the two main answers I received when I interviewed ten married people.

            The first couple I interviewed has been married one and one-half years.  This is the first marriage for one and the second for the other.  They feel their marriage has been successful due to good communication and being able to give without expecting anything in return.  One feels his first marriage ended due to a great lack in communication.  He feels this gap existed between him and his wife and he could do nothing about it.  The second couple has been married only once, and it is still going strong after 25 years.  They contribute their success to talking matters out and working together to solve problems – as soon as they occur.  The third couple has been married for 44 years, and only once.  Never going to bed angry and respecting each other’s wishes are what they feel has kept them together this long.  Honesty, respect, and love are what my fourth couple feels is the key to their success, and they have only been married once and that marriage has lasted 23 years.  After being married only once and their marriage lasting for 15 years, my fifth couple feels that having a mutual respect for one another and letting your spouse know you love them are the keys to a successful marriage.

            The sixth couple I interviewed says that by solving all their problems as soon as possible and not going to bed angry, they have kept their one and only marriage going strong for 12 years.  The seventh couple kept their answer short and simple.  They feel that respect and trust are what keeps a relationship going.  This is their second marriage, and it has lasted five years.  After being married only once and it lasting for three and one-half years, my eighth couple feels that love and a sense of humor are very necessary in having a successful relationship.  My ninth couple has been married for 27 years, and only once.  They feel that good communication and a willingness to give as much as you take have been their keys.  My tenth couple has been married for 13 years.  They have been married only once and feel that being able to compromise and never bringing up the past have been the keys to their marriage being successful.

 

Question 3:

According to Richard Eckersley, what should our collective goal be?

 

            In the article “Is Life Really Getting Better,” Eckersley states that our collective goal should be to dematerialize society.

            Eckersley feels that money does not measure one’s success, and neither does one’s possessions.  Studies show that people who are worse off financially are the ones who have a more positive outlook on life.  I would personally much rather be a positive, well liked person than a person who is liked only because I am rich.  “People have not become happier as their societies become richer,” states Eckersley. 

            Trends for sustained development are worse today than they have been since 1992.  We are moving away from global sustainability, which can result in more people with less money.  People in the richer communities feel that our economic system is deteriorating while the people in the poorer countries do not have the same opinion.  “Health seems to be influenced more by income distribution than by average income levels,” says Eckersley.  Some people argue that economic growth is good for the environment because the richer a country is, the more it can afford to invest in environmental improvements.  Researchers have shown that this has only been proven for a selected set of pollutants and not for the accumulation of wash or pollutants which involves more long-term costs.  Much debate exists over whether our country can grow economically and still be sustainable.  Society must decide the answer.

 

Question 4: 

Write a worthy goal for your local community.

 

            A worthy goal for my community would be to clean the area up physically and socially.

            People in my town throw out their trash without regard to whose property they throw it on.  The senior class at my high school spends time cleaning up around the school in order to get open lunch on Fridays, but why does everyone have to be rewarded for doing something positive for the community?  Why does it seem impossible for the community to pull together and do something good and not expect a reward?  The satisfaction gained from doing something good should be rewarding enough.

            We have a lot of social problems in my community.  We have people who do as they please no matter whom they harm.  They constantly harass people to make themselves feel worthy.  They destroy property and are violent because they feel that being that way is cool.  My community has one group who likes to become drunk constantly and who puts other people’s lives in danger by driving around.  Another group, the silent group, has opinions but is afraid to voice them.  The final group does not care either way what goes on in the community as long as it does not affect them personally.  What good does it do when the people with the negative opinions speak out and the ones with the positive opinions remain silent?  Many negative matters have occurred in their community because people do not voice their opinions constructively.  In order for something positive to happen, everyone needs to voice his or her opinions.

            If everyone will work together to achieve a goal instead of just certain people, my community would be a better place for everyone.

 

Question 5:

Comment on the excerpts from “Tomorrow’s Child.”

 

Eckersley talks about the possibility of a widening socioeconomic gap.  If people do not see economic opportunity, they have a tendency to “drop out” of civil society.  He also states that many “latchkey” children are looking for a human connection.  To solve this problem, Eckersley invites toy industries to develop personalized dolls for those children that look like their mother or their father.

America is gradually becoming more and more populated by minorities, which may lead to a wider socioeconomic gap.  In other respects, being more diversified could help to close the gap.  The way the nation fares in the next century will depend upon whether the socioeconomic gap is widened between races or closed.

Overall, Eckersley feels that the children of today will greatly influence the children of tomorrow.  If the socioeconomic gap continues to widen, Eckersley feels “we could find ourselves in a winner-take-all-society.” 

I recommend that parents get their priorities straight and live a simpler life. Children are meant to be a blessing for couples.  If parents cannot take time out of their day to spend with their child, they should not have any children.  A child needs to be shown love and affection, and it is the sole responsibility of the parents to provide their child with what the child needs.

 

Question 6:

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?

 

            Democracy favors social equality, or individualism.  In our society, conflict will always exist.  The problem is finding ways to resolve conflict.  According to Sullivan, lawyers “regulate and anticipate disputes among individuals and entities” much like the Constitution which settles “disputes among factions of passion and interest.”

The United States is very diversified, and this diversity leads to conflict about social customs.  This is where a lawyer helps mediate.  Since the citizens of the United States are very wealthy compared to citizens of other countries, the American citizens tend to worry about the longevity of their lives.  These people use the law to help them resolve these problems.  In a large society, lawyers help to achieve “economies of scale.”  They help the client with money and repeat transactions in hope of saving money.  As a result, due to our diversity, wealth and size, lawyers are very helpful to everyone.  Lawyers are the stepping stones to individual freedom.  All citizens are free to voice their opinion when something goes wrong, and lawyers help out this process.

 

Question 7:

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?

 

            Bad practices should be changed by regulations.  If the coffee you serve burns someone, you would not have to pay money or go to court because you follow the regulations.  There would be fewer people suing businesses or other people due to the regulations.  I am against suing people.  If they are truly sorry for hurting me, then I forgive them.  They may not have my business again, but at least they are not being sued.

            I do not feel that there is a better alternative.  No matter what laws or regulations are set, someone will still not be satisfied.  Regulations will result in people being a lot more careful about what they serve and how they serve it.  If the business owners are worried about someone watching how they do things, they will be more likely to follow the regulations and do the procedures right.

 

Question 8:

Briefly describe three ways society would benefit from the coming retirement of baby boomers, according to the required reading.

 

            Society will benefit greatly from the retirement of baby boomers.  Minerd states that it is likely for the retirees to start their own business.  This would result in an opening for their old job and some openings at the retirees’ businesses. 

A number of baby boomers exist, so when they retire, there will be many jobs available.  The position the retiree held before retiring will have to be filled by another individual.  Even if someone is moved up to that position, another position will be available.  If the retiree starts a new business, he or she will have to hire other individuals to help out.  In turn, this will cause many more job openings.  When people retire, they tend to do activities that they enjoy.  If they start a business that relates to what they enjoy doing, they will put their heart and soul into it and keep it running as long as possible.  This could also result in the individual setting up other businesses if his or her business is really successful and makes other jobs available. 

The elderly who stay at home also provide opportunities for teenage entrepreneurs.  This is where the teenagers perform duties for the elderly, such as doing chores and running errands.  Either way we look at the matter, the retiring of the baby boomers would affect society in a very positive way.

 

Question 9:

Evaluate the likelihood of President Clinton’s anti-poverty program making a real impact.  Give at least three reasons to back up your conclusions.

 

            President Clinton’s anti-poverty program will not make a real impact due to three reasons: some people do not want jobs, others do not want to set up businesses in poverty-stricken areas, and in some places not enough jobs exist to support everyone.

            Some people like to stay at home and not work for a living.  It is hard for me to understand this, but I have met people who do.  They are happy living in poverty, and I respect that.  It is hard for businesses to be successful in areas of poverty.  I hope to eventually own my own business, but plan to have it located in an area where the people will support it.  It takes a lot of money to keep a business up and running.  That is why most business owners carefully choose where they locate their business.

            Another reason President Clinton’s program will not work is that not enough businesses exist in some areas to support everyone.  In my town, many people have to travel elsewhere to work.  Sometimes it is because not enough local jobs exist for the qualified people.  Other times no available jobs exist.  For this reason, President Clinton’s anti-poverty program will not work.  If we could motivate the poorer individuals by giving them good jobs and reasons to work, then maybe the poverty level will decline.

 

Question 10:

Name three things Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have in common.

 

            Truett Cathy and Tom Lewis have many traits in common.  They both work hard towards their goals, they love to help people, and they are willing to use both their time and money to help the life of a child.

            Cathy put a lot of time and money into starting a restaurant with his brother.  This hard work paid off and he was able to open more restaurants, and finally a foster home.  He dedicated his life to helping others, and reaped the rewards.  Lewis used his time and money to set up a school in a bad neighborhood.  Even though setting the school up in this neighborhood was very risky, he did it anyway and now has a very successful school.

            Cathy and Lewis love to help people.  They both focused on helping children out mentally as well as spiritually.  Cathy put faith in God to help him with his business and foster homes.  Lewis incorporated Bible study into his curriculum and supports and organizes family activities in the community.  They both feel that helping people is what they are born to do.

            Both men are also willing to use their time and money to help a child succeed in life.  Cathy uses his money for foster homes and also gives out many scholarships for those who need them.  Lewis used his money to start a school for the children.  They both spend most of their time helping others and influencing peoples' lives in a very positive way.