Washoe Country School District
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Mentor Volunteers
BECOMING A MENTOR
Even though we have wonderful mentors, we are always looking for more.
As one of our students generously put it, “The GATE internship class gives you opportunities that you could never receive on your own.”
Broadcast journalism. The judiciary. Vascular surgery. Cosmetic dentistry. Civil engineering. Veterinary medicine. Business administration. Music. Child development. Architecture. Mathematics. Pharmacology. Conservation biology. Orthopedics. Secondary education. Law enforcement. Information technology. Construction management. These are just some of the career fields our high school students have served internships in.
Many students over the years have told us that their internship was a life-changing experience. “I knew before my internship that I wanted to be in physics, but getting the chance to try it before college seemed impossible,” says one former student. He’s worked as a physicist ever since. He’s been involved in several projects, including analysis on mass charge spectra in order to determine the contents of an ion beam. He also presented at the Regional Science Symposium at the NASA Ames Research Facility and was the only Nevada delegate at the National Science Symposium that year.
Some of our former interns are now mentors to new interns. One said, “You helped me find my niche, and for that I am extremely grateful.” Another added, “I observed several surgical procedures, including a cancerous tumor removed from an ovary. I participated in discussions with the doctors regarding cases they were working on and what it’s like to be a doctor.” She is a doctor herself now. One previous student who served an internship in cardiology is now a PhD in microbiology. Another former intern received a $150,000 scholarship to USC in architecture, the career in which she interned. Yet another intern (who was also an English Language Learner student) wrote a research paper with his mentors at the United States Department of Agriculture. He is now their colleague.
So why do we tell you all this? Because every semester we are looking for people who are willing to be a mentor to a student in their field. Kids count on us to find them a mentor in every career imaginable. It takes about 6 hours a week of your time for a total of 86 hours over a semester. Not every hour has to be spent together. You can assign relevant research or give your intern time to observe or talk with others in your field. As rewarding as it is for students, mentors benefit too. It feels good to teach someone young and enthusiastic about your career!
A local judge told us, “It was instructive to see our judicial system through the eyes of a high school student. The system benefits when our experience is passed on. By mentoring a GATE student, I gained confidence that our system will be protected and enhanced in the future.”
If you are willing to serve as a mentor or want more information, please contact us soon. We have a new batch of interns every semester!
Lyndi can be reached at 850-8044 or Lcooperschroeder@washoeschools.net . She has students at Galena, McQueen, Hug, Wooster, North Valleys, and Incline High Schools.
Madelyn can be reached at 850-8044 or Mread@washoeschools.net She has students at Reno, Reed, Spanish Springs, Sparks, TMCC, and Damonte Ranch High Schools.
We both look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you.
