Mentors provide an incredible amount of value to young people. They provide the knowledge, advice and wisdom they need as they make important decisions about their future and stay on the right track toward graduation. They can help students with their homework, listen to their concerns and help them navigate the many challenges of growing up.

There are also benefits to the mentor. More than the good feeling you get from teaching and encouraging a student, you can gain access to a wealth of understanding and experience. Mentees often go on to do big things, thanks in part to the person who took time to be their mentor. They may even go on to become a mentor themselves—resulting in a legacy of giving back.

Below are five ways that students benefit from alumni mentors:

1. Students gain practical, applicable advice that might not be taught in the classroom, which can be applied throughout their personal and future professional lives. They will enter college or the work force a leg up on pure classroom learners.
2. It creates a bond that may benefit everything from professional networking to personal growth—especially at a pivotal time in a student’s life. A mentor is a guide for students facing uncertainty in their future and someone on whom they can rely.
3. Mentees get one-on-one attention that helps them to better understand and retain information, connecting that knowledge to classroom lessons. They’ll benefit from more focused learning and a stronger grasp on content.
4. Students get a better understanding of real-world expectations and applications, direct from someone who has experienced them firsthand. This necessary dose of reality will shape their understanding of the world outside the classroom.
5. Mentorship costs nothing. It affords students access to a crucial resource for development that’s not hidden behind a financial barrier. For students unable to afford tutoring or those disadvantaged by a lack of available programs, mentoring is an incredibly valuable experience.

How to become a mentor

Are you interested in serving as a mentor to a current Chippewa Falls student? We invite you to sign up as a volunteer to start the process. We're proud of the fact that so many of our alumni continue to serve our schools and students in such meaningful ways. Please also visit our mentors website for much more information.