As an adult, with a million things to deal with and a million more to worry about, it is often easy to forget those who helped us along the way. We forget that there were adults and role models in our lives that praised our successes and scolded us for our mistakes. No matter what title they go by (teacher, coach, parent, etc.) they all helped to mold us into the person we are today.

Working with the athletes at East High School, I see the importance of every interaction I have with the students. Whether I am helping someone with homework or just chatting about life, each conversation I have with him or her is meaningful. I have seen the change it makes when the people in their lives show them that they want to be there. It is not enough to just be in the room with these kids, you have to care about the work you do with them, don’t put it past them, they’re smart, they’ll sense it. After working with BCEC at East High School for my second year I have seen what a truly dedicated coach looks like and one who isn’t committed to the students and let me tell you, there’s a big difference.

I take my role in each of these students lives seriously because I have seen what its like when other adults don’t. I try and make it apparent every time I am with them that what they have to say is meaningful and the things I’ve learned by just listening to them is astounding.

A conversation I had with a senior on the varsity football and basketball team told me he was “unsure” about college and his ability to succeed in higher education because he doesn’t know anyone who has. He shared that everyone he knew either went to college and quit or didn’t go at all. There’s a popular quote that reads “You can’t be what you can’t see”, if these students have never even seen a successful college student how can we expect them to go on to be successful in academia? The odds aren’t quite in their favor to begin with. I came from the Columbus City School district, from a school almost identical to East High so I can say first-hand how hard college can be. So many times I felt ill prepared for all of the demands of higher education, like my high school didn’t do enough. So I can’t imagine how much more difficult of a time I would have had if I had to navigate academia alone. I was fortunate enough to have so many adults in my life pushing me forward and lifting me up that I had faith in my ability to succeed.

Each semester we give all of the students a survey. On this survey we ask them if they have a role model and/or mentor, and you’d be amazed at how many students don’t have one adult they deem worthy of carrying the title of  “mentor” or “role model”.

We get so bogged down by our own lives that sometimes we forget that it is now our turn to be that positive influence for a child growing up. I am asking you to be that role model for a student; it doesn’t have to be at East High School (although we’d love to have you). I ask you to be a consistent and positive influence in a student’s life, show them that it’s possible, that they have whatever it takes to be whomever they choose and if they don’t, they can learn.