The amazing stories from some of our iCouldBe mentors are testaments to all of the support, inspiration, and encouragement our mentors have provided their mentees. Thank you Mentors!
“So many of these kids have blown me away over the years with their openness – sharing their hopes and dreams and drive to succeed. One though really stood out – a young man whose parents were both in jail for drug problems and he was living with his grandparents. This kid had a 12 hour school day, the first pick up on the bus route and the last drop off at night, and he was determined to get great grades so that he could go to college and break the cycle his parents had started. But beyond his determination, what really stood out was his heart. He was so kind and thoughtful, someone who always remembered to ask how others were doing and cared about what was going on in the world around him. I was constantly inspired by the amazingly positive attitude that he brought to each of our encounters. He reminds me to this day of that great line from Hamlet – “there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
~ Reader 21, Mentor Since 2009
“One of the Mentees I met through iCouldBe had lost both parents and was living with a sibling. This Mentee did not feel sorry for himself, but sometimes found the activities a place to share feelings about the situation in the context of the exercise. This young person found time to volunteer while keeping up with schoolwork and striving to improve himself. The Mentee’s overall attitude, spirit, and accomplishments inspired me.”
~ Mare, Mentor Since 2007
“Some of my best moments with iCouldBe include students who were not enthusiastic in any way about being in the program at the beginning of the school year, but then these same students turned out to become better writers and analyzers by the end of our time together. Getting a resistant student to engage is such a triumph! I believe that having someone in your life, even an online mentor who you never meet, who sets high expectations for you, and who doesn’t give up on your progress can make all the difference. I hope that I can be that person for at least one student – which is why I continue to be a part of iCouldBe.”
~ CafeMocha, Mentor Since 2009
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