1. National Mentoring
Month!
All of our Aim mentors take time out of their busy
lives to mentor our students who are in need of
direction, guidance and positive reinforcement. In
honor of National Mentoring Month, we would like to
share a few of our mentor’s stories with you!
Alessi’s Story: If there is one thing I can say I am
truly proud of is the fact that I am a Mentor with Aim.
Never did I imagine a phone call could influence stu-
dents due to all of the latest developments in technolo-
gy, social media, and other forms of entertainment.
However, since becoming a mentor, I have learned
that a phone call has the power to impact students in a
positive way. In this position, I get the chance to stay
on my toes as I work hard to make sure that I am being
the best mentor I can be. I enjoy the challenge mentor-
ing brings as I help students with their problems, ques-
tions, and concerns. One strategy I use to help the
students with any obstacles they face, no matter how
big or small, is we cover all aspects that is tied to it, set
goals to overcome the hurdles, and work towards
achieving a good outcome. I think one of the best feel-
ings I have ever had in my life is hearing how a student
was able to overcome a problem that they were having
due to us coming up with goals and ways to bypass the
Important
School Dates
Aldine ISD
January 14th
: End of Second 9
weeks
January 15th
: Staff Development/
No School
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
January 19th
: Start of Third 9
Weeks
Crowley ISD
January 4th
: Student Holiday
January 5th
Start of 6 weeks
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
El Paso Leadership
Academy
January 4th
- 5th
: Staff
Development/No School
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
Fort Stockton ISD
January 4th
: Student holiday
January 5th
: Start of 6 weeks
January 6th
: Report Cards
January 27th
: Progress Reports
January 2016
Mentor Newsletter
A few words shared by our Aim Students
“The best thing
I like about the
program is my
mentor!”
issue. Although my mentoring is only a small part of the student's life, I mentor to have
the opportunity to be that one factor that might be able to steer them into the right direc-
tion, and change their lives forever is very humbling. Therefore, I am truly honored to be
called a Mentor!
Sonya’s Story: When I first started mentoring, I knew one of the students was go-
ing to be a challenge. When I talked to his mother, she shared he was having issues with
attendance and behavior. The mother also shared he did not want to listen to any-
one. While talking to the student, he was very resistant to the mentor calls. For weeks,
the student never picked up the phone, but one day he answered! He shared how he did
not like alternative school and we discussed how to improve his situation. Since that
time, he has shown improvement in his attendance and I know I made a difference in his
life. I send him encouraging and motivating text messages each mentoring night. He has
truly impacted my life because I know in the long run, he will be successful in every area
of his life, by my one simple act.
“Aim was helpful
because the program
encouraged me to do
good in school!”

2. Patricia’s Story: My success and hard work ethic
is due to my parent’s motivation, high standards, and
dedication to my education. I truly believe having a
positive role model/mentor as I did, is the reason I am
who I am today. My parents believed in me. I am a
first generation college graduate who has paved the
way for my younger siblings. My accomplishments
ignited a spark in my father. He had placed his educa-
tion on hold to raise my family and after seeing my
success he made it his goal to complete his educa-
tions. He recently graduated with his Master’s degree
from Texas A&M San Antonio!
I strive to give back when and where I can. I’m an ad-
vocate for other first generation college students like
myself and I’m a Pre-College Counselor at my alma
mater. Being a mentor with the Aim program has
been very gratifying. I am able to reach out to more
students who may not have a positive role model in
their lives. Being able to listen to my students, en-
gage in their future plans and provide direction when
things are not going so well has been extremely grati-
fying for me. I beyond a doubt believe in the positive
influence of mentoring and I am passionate about
what I do every day.
Brett’s Story: Being an Aim mentor has been
a rewarding experience beyond my wildest imagina-
tion. Trying anything new in life is always nervous and
exciting and being an Aim mentor has been exactly
that. I truly was nervous, wondering if I would be able
to make an impact on a student's life by just calling
them 3 days a week, but through my experience it has
shown me that you truly can. In life, people don't
know how much they can do until they know how
much people care and believe in them. As an Aim,
mentor I have been able to gently push these kids to
accept the mentor program and find some success. It
is amazing in such a short period of time I can see
“Having someone kind,
caring, and understanding
to talk is the best part of
the program!”
them change from not wanting to talk to me to truly wanting to share their successes with
me. I can't even describe the joy I feel when one of my students has even a small
amount of success. Just recently one of my students, Edwin, told me to hold on for a
second because his mom wanted to talk to me. I patiently waited on the line wondering
what Edwin's mother wanted to talk to me about. I was surprised by his mother's request,
all she wanted was to make certain that the Aim program called Edwin in the morning, as
a wake-up call because she had to go to work early and wasn't able to wake him up her-
self. She knew that if she told me she could rely on me and the program to help Edwin
get to school in her absence. It meant so much to me that she would rely on the Aim
program and me to help her child when she was forced to work an early shift to provide
for her family. Obviously, the program helps the entire family not just the students we
call. That short story tells anyone how important our program is. We are not just mentors
or people who call; we are people who can be pillars in family's lives that they can rely on
to help steer their children in the right direction.
Important
School Dates
continues
Judson ISD
January 15th
: End of Third 6
Weeks
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
January 19th
: Start of Fourth 6
Weeks
Kaufman ISD
January 4th
: Student Holiday
January 5th
: Start of 6 Weeks
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
Laredo ISD
January 15th
: End of Third 6
Weeks
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
January 19th
: Start of Fourth 6
Weeks
San Antonio ISD
January 14th
: End of Second 9
Weeks
January 15th
: Student Holiday
January 18th
: MLK Day/Student
Holiday
January 19th
: Start of Third 9
Weeks
Slaton ISD
January 4th
: Teacher work day;
No school
January 5th
: Start of 6 Weeks
January 18th
: Staff Development;
No School