November 2020
      
  Let's Talk About 
Career Exploration 


Career Exploration
What is It & Why is It Important?

How do we expect young people to dream if they don't know what they can dream about? Opportunities for career exploration give young people broader exposure to the working world they will one day enter. It helps them "connect the dots" between school and career in ways that keep them motivated to graduate with the skills they will need for the future.

Exploring different careers is a great activity mentors and mentees can do together. It allows mentors to discover their mentee's likes, dislikes, passions and dreams, while helping the student create and refine their goals. 

Check out some resources and ideas below!
Free SAT & ACT Tutoring Service
Varsity Tutors presents Test Prep 4 All

Varsity Tutors recently announced the "Test Prep 4 All" initiative to help democratize college admissions and help level the playing field. 
With "Test Prep 4 All", all high school students -regardless of socioeconomic background- will have access to the nation's first-ever live, online ACT and SAT classes completely free of charge featuring a world-class instructor, adaptive practice tests, mobile apps, free test prep books and more.  



 
MENTOR OF THE MONTH
Reggie Jackson

How did you become involved with mentoring through the Hillsborough Education Foundation? 
I was at my daugthers school (Rampello) and saw the booth at Mega Night.  I noticed her table didn't have any traffic so I approached the young lady who was covering the booth and started to ask questions.  She told me about the program and I was blown away that there was an organization in the city that offered such a wonderful opportunity and people were taking advantage of it.  After I realized my kids didn't qualify, I immediately asked if there was a need for volunteers.  The young lady said there was a mentoring aspect of the program and I was "ALL IN!" and the rest is history.  

What has been the most rewarding part of mentoring?
Seeing the growth in the relationships.  Initially the boys are hesitant to open up and give one word responses but watching the evolution of the relationship, they start to share more without prompt or ask me questions and ask for feedback on life situations is the most rewarding part of the process to me.

What do you believe is the key to being a quality mentor?
This is a very important question to me and something I strongly believe in...finding out what the kid wants/likes and helping him/her fill that need.  I always ask my kids first, what do you expect from me and then I ask them what do they like or think they would like to be when they grow up?  Sometimes they don't know but its my job to find what they like or are passionate about and help them get there and meet whatever expectations they have of me.  I believe a mentor should set goals and hold the mentee accountable.  In the end, if the mentee knows you are helping them achieve their dreams, they will respond positively.  If the student feels like you're just reading from the manual, you will never build an authentic relationship.

When you are not working with students, how do you prefer to spend your free time?
Hanging out with my own kids.  I have 3 daughters that I spend a lot of time with, 2 of them have a baking business so we spend a lot of time working together and if we're not doing that, we're finding something to do outside.

What do you hope your mentee(s) will learn from you?
To be intentional and purposeful with their time.  Time is something we can't get back so I want my mentees to understand the value of their time and don't waste it expecting something to happen but instead making a plan and acting on it.  Be intentional with your school work, where you plan to attend school, etc.  Don't wait for tomorrow to do things you can do today.  Discipline weighs an ounce but regret weighs a ton!!!
HEF's Senior Scholarship

 
"Why Not Us?"
Roadtrip Nation Activity Idea

Share your screen and watch a Roadtrip nation video with your mentee- it may take two or three mentoring sessions to watch an entire video. For a list of all the Roadtrip nation videos click here: https://roadtripnation.com/roadtrip/watch 
One of the best videos by Roadtrip nation is Why Not Us? In a joint partnership, the College Board and Roadtrip Nation brought together four first-generation college students from different parts of the country. Jenny, Jasmine, Felipe, and Johnathan explore what it means to be a first-generation college student in the one-hour documentary, Why Not Us?
The road-trippers travel throughout the United States chatting with diverse leaders, many of whom were also the first in their families to receive a college degree. These insightful conversations, shared experiences, and life lessons learned make up the First-Gen Roadtrip.

Why Not Us? Full Length Documentary | Roadtrip Nation
Why Not Us? Full Length Documentary | Roadtrip Nation

While watching the video, you are encouraged to use the following viewing guide that will aid you in facilitating meaningful conversations with your mentee. Click here for the viewing guide! 



Staying engaged amidst this pandemic is difficult for us all - and especially so for students. The disruption to the learning environments in K-12 and postsecondary has been profound, and for many students what their schooling will look like in the months to come remains uncertain. Yet there are ways to continue deeper learning and engagement despite these challenges. Here are some considerations as to how educators can help students remain engaged, motivated, and enthusiastically learning.
  1. Take advantage of professional development and online resources
  2. Create a welcoming environment
  3. Focus on building strong relationships with students
  4. Communicate constantly
  5. Listen to students
  6. Explicitly teach students how to self-regulate
  7. Consider asynchronous and synchronous learning options
  8. Screen for those who need additional support
  9. Provide engaging assignments and assessments 
  10. Give ongoing feedback
 To read more, click here!
 

Source: The Chronicle of Evidence Based Mentoring

The College Success Team 
 
 
 
Director of TSIC
(813) 463-4283
Click the name of your assigned College Success Coach to email them.






College Success Coach
(813) 574-0272
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0271
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0264
College Success Coach
(813) 574-0269
Mark Your Calendar

Date
Event
Audience
Nov. 16th-20th
American Education Week
All Students
Nov. 19thGreat American Teach-InAll Students
Nov. 19thFall Webinar/Workshop: Test-Taking StrategiesAll TSIC Students
Dec. 1stFall Webinar/Workshop: Navigating Career ChangesAll TSIC Students
Dec. 3rdFall Webinar/Workshop: Student Panel DiscussionAll TSIC Students
Dec. 10thFall Webinar/Workshop: LinkedIn and Social MediaAll TSIC Students

For more detailed information about the events occurring in Hillsborough County Public Schools, click the link below:
 
For more information, contact Anna Corman via email