Students Mentoring Students

It’s said that teaching is one of the best ways to learn. It’s part of MIKE’s strategy to prepare volunteer mentors for their roles inside high school classrooms. This year, MIKE hosted a customized training workshop for ten students with Warner Pacific University.

The students are part of a new partnership with WP’s Department of Nursing. Nine students elected to participate in MIKE to gain leadership skills, improve their communications with diverse student populations and give back to their community. One WP, studying in public health, also joined as an intern with MIKE.

Hosted in one of WP’s Southeast campus classrooms, MIKE Programs Coordinator Linda Nguyen led the workshop with segments on culturally-responsive teaching and trauma-informed care, health standards within the Oregon Department of Education, youth safety, and the roles of mentors.

The rest of the day was spent diving into curriculum activities to familiarize the mentors with the concepts and ideas of lessons and provide them with opportunities to role-play within the activities.

Two returning mentors, Sang Jimmy Mai and Tiffany Blair joined in several segments to help mentor the mentors. They will be taking on leadership roles within the mentor/student cohorts during the fall semester at De La Salle North Catholic High School.

The workshop provided the mentors with a reflection into the dynamics of the classrooms they’ll soon be entering as MIKE mentors. As the workshop concluded, they all expressed how the experience made them even more excited to take on their roles.