Capitol Letters: January is Mentoring Month

ONLY IN THE recent years of my life have I discovered and acknowledged how much of a mentor my father has been in my life. 

My father mentored me by exemplifying certain values in his life. He showed me strong work ethic by being routinely early for his shifts and being dedicated to his position. Get your work done first son and then you can play! He showed me the importance of education by enrolling my brother and I in private schools and holding us accountable for our academic performance.  This school is going to cost your mother and I a lot of money, but I think it is worth the sacrifice we will need to make. He showed comfort in his skin and appreciation for what we had in our lives. We may not wear the newest fashion of clothes and have the most current vehicles but we have what we need.

Flashback! - Steve, dad and brother in the early 80's

My father’s mentorship provided me with a firm foundation and the skills to find other mentors throughout my life. My list of mentors includes, teachers, instructors, clergy, family, friends, supervisors, co-workers and community members. I feel very fortunate that I have had at least one mentor in every stage of my life.

The humbling transition of becoming a parent immediately made me aware of the fact that I needed mentors in this stage, too. I have been fortunate to find some father mentors through a father’s playgroup, a father’s support group and fathers that I have met through the daycare our son attends, as well.

Through all these ages and stages of my life so far I have experienced the strong power of mentorship - it has guided my life in a positive direction and made it possible for me to avoid some of the pitfalls and detractions of life.

Steve and his dad today

January is Mentoring Month is Alaska. There are many children in our neighborhoods that attend the same schools as our children, who are teammates or band-mates of our teenagers; some of these kids in our communities do not have one strong mentor in their life - and they might be actively seeking one.

Being a mentor to a child can being as easy as including your child’s friend in activities with your family: hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, camping, picking blueberries, or even attending a music festival. Parents can also become a mentor by volunteering at a daycare, assisting in school projects or fundraisers, become involved in a club, or volunteering to coach a team.  

There is Big Brother Big Sisters of Alaska whose sole purpose is to connect adults with children and create a mentorship possibility. This is an opportunity to become a mentor in a safe and monitored program that will benefit the adult and the child!

I want the friends and contacts that surround our sons to have strong mentors in their lives. I also want all of those children seeking a mentor to have the opportunity to experience this unique relationship. Mentoring the children of our state will lead to more grounded youth today and a stronger future for our communities. This is something that you need to do!