Serving as a Mentor

by Nicole Trujillo

Nicole's College Bound Club has a meeting.

College Bound Chinquapin, a bunch of scholarships listed in chronological order, and a college corner are what I plan to leave at Chinquapin. My goal of impacting my community is complete. I dedicated two years of my high school career to leaving a legacy where I helped make college a feasible endeavor and summer programs an attainable experience.

It started my junior year of high school, and my seminar teacher wanted me to pick a research topic to study for the next two years. I initially dreamt of changing the world: ending poverty, solving world hunger, or even saving everyone from global warming. However, I quickly learned that I needed a tangible goal. I decided to focus on studying the impact of poverty on education. The majority of the Chinquapin population identifies as low-income; therefore, I believed my impact would impact many.

Shortly after starting my club, I was rewarded. I started witnessing signs of gratitude from the underclassman. Whether someone thanked me for introducing a new summer program, editing their essays, or simply offering myself as an additional resource. Additionally, I was granted the privilege to form a bond with underclassmen. From the first meeting when I lured them in with donuts to the end of the year reflection, I grew closer to them. I learned about what they cared for and what they wanted to improve in themselves. I feel as if I offered a platform where they felt comfortable to share their personal goals and allowed me to help.

I recognized that I was not the most qualified person, however, the fact that they were open to me helping them, validated my entire project. They trusted me with their resumes, essays, and decisions.

“I want to serve as the mentor who looks out for their mentee and let them know that someone is rooting for them. "

One of the most rewarding events was after my members completed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo work opportunity during spring break. It was a new experience for them outside of Chinquapin. They were going to be immersed in a community filled with strangers and work rather than relax during their break from school. However, I was content with the end results. Apart from earning income, they learned important work ethic at an age not many Chinquapin students work. They learned how to respect the rules regarding uniforms, shifts, and working with others. Not only did they work during unconventional hours, but they also learned how to work with others, even when they were not entirely compatible. They learned to work with people they have never met and managed to complete their job requirements.

Overall, my Senior Project was rewarding simply knowing that I impacted my community and motivated students to try new experiences and inpired them to apply to scholarships. My peers thanked me for helping them raise their grade in math class and for simply sacrificing my time to help them and that was sufficient for me.

In the future, I plan to continue helping anyone who decides to contact me. I want to serve as the mentor who looks out for their mentee and let them know that someone is rooting for them.