Celebrating Mentors

January is National Mentoring Month, a celebration of mentors and the positive roles they play in the lives of youth. It is also a time to highlight the critical need for mentors across our community. With one in five children living in poverty in the Inland Empire, there is a clear need for committed adults in the lives of disadvantaged youth. Inland Empire United Way is calling for volunteers in our community to step up on behalf of local kids.

Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer reader, tutor, or mentor!

Success Stories

Here are several examples of how local mentors have changed the lives of an Inland Empire child:

Paying it Forward

by Jason Cordova, Staff, mentor, and former student of Bright Prospect

Growing up I witnessed my mother work long hours in order to support me and my younger brother. Her sacrifice and hard work inspired me to help my family through my education. During my junior year of high school I was selected to the Pomona-based Bright Prospect Scholar Support Program, a program that helps high achieving low-income students get into some of the best colleges in the nation.

Timothy Sandoval, who was my advisor in the program, became my mentor, friend, and my older brother. Tim is someone that I have looked up to and admired since he was introduced into my life. He has always imparted wisdom upon me that has inspired me to be a better person.  Most importantly Tim has always shown me compassion and love that very few have shown me in my past. In many ways he has been the fatherly figure that I had missed for much of my life. With his help and guidance alongside that of the other staff members at Bright Prospect I was able to gain admittance to Connecticut College where I received a comprehensive financial aid package.

Throughout college Tim has been there to guide me through some of the challenges of being a first generation college student. During my time in Connecticut, Tim was always there to listen to me when I needed it most. Upon graduation I was fortunate enough to be selected to work for Bright Prospect under the supervision of Tim Sandoval. It is a great honor for me to play an instrumental role in shaping the lives of other young people and helping them achieve their goals and dreams. Having the opportunity to mentor young lives under the guidance of Tim has brought meaning to my life in so many ways. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to have a positive impact in the community alongside my mentor, friend, father, and other brother-Tim.

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Learning to Let Go

by Volunteer at CASA of San Bernardino County

It was a special day when I found out about Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). I was in the psychology department’s office looking at volunteer opportunities when an office assistant began to chat with me. She mentioned CASA of San Bernardino County and its mission to help children in foster care. I was instantly intrigued and excited about the idea and decided to volunteer with them.

As a CASA volunteer, I have the great opportunity to work one-on-one with wards of the court. In no way do I supplant Social Workers or other professionals on the child’s team, but I do add an in-depth personal view of the child involved and keeping communication going between all the people working with the child. This is to make sure that the child is receiving all the help he needs and nothing falls through the cracks while they are in the foster care system.

I am currently helping to mentor a teenage boy named Antonio* who currently is transitioning out of the foster care system. He is an 18 year old Hispanic male who is finishing up with his high school diploma. He has aspirations to become a Social Worker to share his experiences and mentor children who are in his same situation. When I first met Antonio, he was depressed and wary of any type of social workers. I learned that he has been in and out of foster homes and he had endured sexual, emotional, verbal and physical abuse by many people throughout his life. Consequently, he was very wary and defensive of everyone.

Antonio had a dog named Bear. This dog was given to him by a close brother who is now deceased. This tragic circumstance made Antonio extremely close to the dog. The problem was that his current placement was moving to a new home that did not accept dogs; which led to great despair for the boy. He felt that the dog was the only reminder he had of his beloved brother and giving him away was the same as betraying his brothers’ memory.

We then began to talk about the dog and what was best for Bear. I helped Antonio realize that sometimes letting go of those you love is the best gift you can give them. After you can no longer care for them, if you truly love them, then you will find a way to make sure that they find another place to receive the care that they need. I made calls to everyone that I knew, ultimately finding a family friend who would accept the dog. Antonio believed that he would need to put his dog in a shelter but I helped him see that dedication and hope can overcome any obstacles.

Antonio was overjoyed. In the end I realized that this dog was also a reflection of Antonio. He didn’t want to abandon the dog, because he felt abandoned. He was scared of leaving his dog with strangers because of the abuse he had endured in his life. He didn’t want Bear to move house to house because that was how he lived. By talking to him and helping him to realize these things, Antonio was able to let go of some of his pain and begin to love himself. He is now almost done with school and is planning on going to college. He is going to study Psychology or social work to help others like him. I am confident that no matter what happens, Antonio will succeed.

*Name has been changed for privacy reasons

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“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

by Deborah Magana, volunteer at Family Service Association of Redlands

I always tell people that I never thought I was a "kid person" until I was asked to help with the after-school tutoring program at Family Service Association of Redlands.  Now, I have a hard time imagining how I would get along without them.  I truly feel as though I have gained more from these children than I could ever give back.  I have found that by tutoring (even just a couple of hours a week,) I have more patience, understanding, and I have developed a deeper connection to my community that carries through just about every aspect of my life.  

Positivity and encouragement is the cornerstone to our program.  No matter what may take place outside our doors, when a child comes to our agency for tutoring, they are met with smiles, high-fives, and unwavering enthusiasm for the development of their individual abilities and personalities.  This open, honest, and happy environment has led to wonderful connections between tutors and the children and has created a safe place for the kids to learn and grow.

Something that is universal with every child that has come into our program is that each kid has said at some point: "I'm not good at.... (Math, English, etc.)”  Or "I can't do this."   However, once they are immediately countered with "Of course you can!" or "You're great at this!" from a smiling tutor, it seems like the children are instantly given the freedom to apply themselves to their tasks without fear and an almost visible blossoming takes place.  It is absolutely priceless to see the pride in a child's eyes when they realize they have just accomplished something new with what they had inside themselves all along.     

I am truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to volunteer with this program over the past several months, during which I have been able to see the natural growth and progress of many of the children.  I think I get more excited than maybe even the boy or girl themselves when I see a child read a book they couldn't read last year, or how they're now doing "big kid Math."  Without this program, I would never have had the opportunity to get to know so many different children, to see them as individuals, get to know their fantastic personalities, and dream with them about what they're going to be like when they grow up. 

Every week, the kids come in to tutoring and ask me if I have missed them.  My honest and immediate answer is always "Of course I did!"  When they leave for the day and ask if I'll see them the following week, I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

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