Giovanna Berr Bialoglowka
June 1, 2022

As children, it’s overwhelming to realize how little we know. The future can be a really terrifying topic and we all need reassurance from someone else that we can make it through. It can be scary to ask for help, which highlights the importance of having good role models present in young children’s lives. We learn the best through other people and building relationships with advisors helped me feel more supported in my transition out of high school.

For example, I was 19 years old when I had my first mentor. He was the founder of his own nonprofit organization and I was his student intern. One of my natural strengths is connecting with people, so he tasked me with reaching out to current and potential students. I spent months making phone calls and working through my telephone anxiety with his help. It took so much effort to be charismatic when calling people I had never met, but my hard work pushed me to grow exponentially. In dealing with my anxiety firsthand in a supportive environment, I was able to cope with the fear and gather the experience to prove I could try and fail and try again. Ultimately, I developed emotional resilience through my struggles. My mentor had seen my strengths and put me in positions to grow beyond my fears. It was to be uncomfortable and try things I was not “good” at, but it was all for my own benefit. This is why mentorship is so important.
It is crucial for children to be around adults that encourage them to explore their capabilities. Mentors should be passionate about their life so they may inspire children to care deeply about their own. Everyone who interacts with children is molding their reality and teaching them by example.

With this knowledge in mind, I chose to take part in the College Path Mentorship program where I facilitate a small cohort of high school students through New York Academy Educational Services.

We meet every Saturday to discuss their transition out of high school, explore their college interests, and openly address their anxieties. I share with them my own struggles in applying to college and encourage them to keep a journal in order to learn more about themselves. As a group, we also review math and English on IXL in order to strengthen their skills for standardized tests. After several weeks, my mentees vocalize feeling more prepared for their journey into college and that is all I could ask for.