As the old man walked the beach at dawn,
he noticed a young man ahead of him
picking up starfish and
flinging them into the sea.

Finally catching up with the youth,
he asked him why he was doing this.

The answer was:
the stranded starfish would die
if left in the morning sun.

“But the beach goes on for miles
and there are millions of starfish,”
countered the other.
“How can your effort make any difference?’

The young man looked at the starfish
in his hand and threw it safely into the waves.
“It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
—Anonymous

Can one really make a difference? The amount of time required to make a difference in a student’s life is minimal and the special encouraging relationship that he/she experiences could become a foundation for success in the future.
Lago Vista Elementary School currently has a mentor program in place whereby parents and community members meet with a student one to two times a week for approximately 30 minutes. All meetings take place during school hours and on school grounds. After a background check is completed, we meet with the mentor to go over suggestions on how we think the student would benefit from having a mentor. It is a very rewarding experience for both the student and the mentor and I encourage all interested community members to contact Lisa Wolf at lisa_wolf@lagovista.txed.net or 267-8340 for more information.
Mentoring a student is one way to make a difference in a child’s life.
The student benefits in many ways. Students receive support and encouragement from a caring adult who has respect for them and their abilities to make their own choices in life. A good mentor is a good listener. Most young people can find someone who will give advice or express opinions. However, an effective mentor is a person who can suspend his or her judgment and really listen to what the child is saying. Mentors often help a student by simply listening, asking thoughtful questions and giving the student an opportunity to explore their own thoughts. When children feel accepted, they are more likely to ask for and respond to good ideas.
A child may be faced with many struggles the mentor has not experienced. A good mentor has the ability to emphasize with another person’s struggles without feeling pity. Some students can get caught up in a self-fulfilling prophecy. When they do this, they believe they will never succeed, and, without change, their beliefs can become reality.
A good mentor has the ability to see solutions and opportunities in dealing with the student, and to help encourage the child to find realistic solutions to help them succeed. Youth also have a need to develop skills in working with others. Many children do not have the basic social skills required to be successful. By simply modeling self confidence, discipline and a positive attitude, a child can benefit tremendously from having a mentor.
Many of us can recall a period of time in life when a teacher, minister or caring adult empowered us to be the person we are today. A quote from an unknown author gives meaning to this statement. “One hundred years from now it will not matter how much money you made, what kind of car you drove, what sort of house you lived in. But, 100 years from now the world will be a better place because you made a difference in the life of a child.”