Honors Mentorship Week One

Having completed the first week at my my mentorship with the engineering program at North Forsyth Middle School, I've began to reflect on the importance of the opportunity I have at hand, and how much there is to gain from such a unique experience. I've known for some time now that I have a passion for building and designing new things and that down the road I hope to seek a career as an engineer. My school's robotics and engineering program has been an amazing outlet for me to expand my knowledge/skills, and has given me the opportunity to work on many great projects I normally would not have had the opportunity to be a part of. A previous engineering teacher of mine has given me the chance to come work with him during his engineering classes and help mentor robotics teams after school. This will allow me to take something I have a passion for, and learn how to teach it to others, and will help me share my knowledge and experiences in a professional environment. One critical component of the mentorship is learning how to carry myself in the work place, and realizing that a first impression is long lasting. This idea was strongly emphasized by the podcast we listened to for the mentorship class, as well as the "Getting to Know Your Mentor" handout. It suggested tips on how to be professional and get the most out of a mentorship by presenting myself as mature, reliable, hard-working, and punctual. I have known my mentor for some time now so the environment was very welcoming, however I had the opportunity to meet several teachers whom I did not know before hand. I made sure to dress well to the occasion, and arrive a few minutes early each day. In addition, I was also introduced to the principal of the school. He asked me about my mentorship, my plans for college career, and what I expected from the mentorship. I explained my motives for wanting to complete the mentorship, and told him that I plan to go into the field of mechanical engineering, but also I explained that I've had an interest in teaching the trade to others as well, especially considering the major impact my school and teachers have had on me. I look forward to the year to come, and I plan to give the mentorship my all, with the hopes that I will gain more insight on what exactly it means to be an engineer, and how to better share ideas, skills, and information with others.