Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current, December 09, 2016, Page 11, Image 21

ASPIRE
ASPIRE from Page 3B
c ­ oordinators­ in­ the­ past­ five­
years,­ and­ only­ two­ volunteer­
mentors from last year came
back for the 2016-17 school year.
“There was not consistency
from­ year­ to­ year­ because­ this­
job­kept­turning­over­and­some-
one­ kept­ coming­ in­ and­ having­
to­ figure­ out­ how­ to­ do­ it,”­ he­
said.
Enough volunteers
for all students
Bisek’s­first­task­is­expanding­
the­ number­ of­ volunteers­ so­ ide-
ally­students­can­start­setting­their­
first­mentorship­meeting­as­early­
as sophomore year, and then meet
consistently­ throughout­ their­ ju-
nior and senior years.
“That way they’re well ahead
of­ schedule­ and­ already­ having­
that­ conversation,”­ Bisek­ said.­
For­ now,­ however,­ “I­ have­ al-
most­ every­ senior­ assigned­ to­ a­
volunteer­and­I’m­ready­to­start­
pairing­up­juniors,­as­well.”
The­value­of­having­a­pletho-
ra­of­volunteers­is,­primarily,­so­
students­can­receive­mentorship­
earlier,­ when­ they­ have­ more­
power­ and­ flexibility­ to­ change­
course­or­perform­better­to­meet­
certain­ goals.­ The­ field­ of­ op-
tions­ is­ much­ wider­ for­ fresh-
men;­ as­ they­ begin­ senior­ year,­
the­ field­ narrows,­ because­ it’s­
harder­to­change­a­GPA­or­accu-
mulate­extracurricular­accolades­
at that point.
Second,­ having­ numerous­
mentors allows Bisek to be more
selective­ when­ assigning­ men-
tors­with­students.
“Once­ you­ get­ enough­ vol-
unteers­ you­ can­ start­ pairing­ in­
ways­that­appeal­to­the­students’­
needs or career interests, and it’s
not­random,”­he­said.
Also,­if­certain­pairings­don’t­
go­smoothly­because­of­person-
ality­ differences,­ they­ could­ be­
adjusted.
“Sometimes­ you­ need­ to­ tin-
ker­a­little­bit­to­find­a­good­fit,”­
GO
GULLS
Proud
Supporter
of SHS for 5
Generations
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Soft Chewy Salt
Water Taff y
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217 Broadway
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503.738.5402
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Bisek­ said.­ “I­ would­ like­ to­ be­
able­ to­ have­ that­ option,­ and­
we’re­working­toward­that.”
Students­who­already­are­ser-
viced­ through­ Upward­ Bound­
—­ which­ begins­ in­ ninth­ grade­
— and Talent Search — which
begins­ in­ sixth­ grade­ —­ do­ not­
get­assigned­an­ASPIRE­mentor­
as­it­would­be­redundant.­
What mentoring
involves
Volunteers­ meet­ with­ one­ to­
10­ students­ at­ a­ frequency­ that­
is­ convenient­ for­ both­ parties.­
That can be weekly or monthly,
depending­on­the­students’­goals­
and­motivation,­Bisek­said.
Mentors­ develop­ relation-
ships­ with­ the­ students­ and­ dis-
cuss­their­future­plans,­goals­and­
options.
Bisek has a binder with in-
formation for mentors, and they
also­ can­ find­ resources,­ such­ as­
useful­websites­and­training­tips,­
online­through­ASPIRE.
Good luck
Seaside
High
School
Athletes!
Simple
Elegance
503.436.1151
988 S. Hemlock Street
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
www.newmansat988.com
Bisek­meets­with­new­volun-
teer­ mentors­ one-on-one­ to­ go­
over­material.­He­also­is­present­
during­ their­ first­ meeting­ with­
each­ student,­ to­ facilitate­ the­
transition.
From­ there,­ he­ is­ available­
to do research and help mentors
find­ answers­ to­ students’­ ques-
tions.­ He­ meets­ with­ mentors­
from month to month to inform
them­of­what­is­coming­up.
“My­ primary­ goal­ as­ coordi-
nator­ is­ that­ you­ don’t­ feel­ like­
you­ need­ to­ do­ a­ lot­ of­ home-
work­to­be­a­volunteer,”­he­said.­
“I­ want­ your­ main­ focus­ just­ to­
be­ making­ that­ connection­ with­
the­students.”
Mentors­ provide­ a­ unique­
presence­in­a­student’s­life.­They­
aren’t­ there­ to­ critique­ grades­ or­
demand­ certain­ outcomes.­ Rath-
er,­they­are­meant­to­encourage­a­
student’s­ passion­ and­ help­ them­
realize­what­is­available­to­them.­
Some­ students­ don’t­ have­ those­
conversations­ at­ home;­ some­ do,­
and­perhaps­tune­out­their­parents,­
Bisek said. Teachers may address
post-high­ school­ plans­ in­ class,­
but­they­have­ to­stay­focused­ on­
course­curriculum.­
But­ meetings­ with­ mentors­
offer­ a­ designated­ time­ for­ stu-
dents to consider what they want
to­do­next­and­take­steps­toward­
achieving­it.
“You’re­ just­ taking­ the­ real-
ity­ of­ their­ current­ situation­ and­
telling­ them­ where­ they­ can­ go­
with­the­rest­of­their­life,”­Bisek­
said. “More often than not, it’s far
broader­than­the­students­believe.­
Especially­ being­ on­ the­ coast­ in­
a­ smaller­ town,­ they­ just­ don’t­
think­they­have­as­many­options­
as­they­do.”
Additionally,­ since­ about­ 30­
to­40­percent­of­Seaside­students­
don’t­ pursue­ higher­ education,­
mentors­ also­ can­ introduce­ them­
to career options, apprenticeships
and­vocational­training.­
No­ matter­ what­ a­ student’s­
hopes and dreams are, “we’re
here­ to­ build­ them­ up,”­ Bisek­
said.
GO
GULLS!
GOOD LUCK
TO ALL WINTER
ATHLETES,
TEAMS &
COACHES!!
Proudly supporting SHS activities for over 53 years!
• 2 LOCATIONS •
Downtown Cannon Beach
503-436-2641
Seaside Outlet Mall
503-738-7828
www.brucescandy.com
Seagull Pride • Winter 2016-17 • Seaside Signal/Cannon Beach Gazette • 11