Photo Credit: Matt Boyd Photography
Guest Blogger: Miss Douglas County
It’s August!! I hope all of you have had a restful but fun summer!
August means a few things! For one, it’s back to school for so many, two, it’s almost fall (yay!) and three, it’s Advocacy August here at MENTOR Nebraska!!
As you are reading this, I hope that you are looking forward to what fall might bring, but also looking at it as a new beginning - maybe a time to try something new! Like Mentoring!
Oftentimes, the idea of mentoring can be daunting to people. But I am here to tell you that there is a student out there that can benefit from your story, your experiences and just your consistent presence!
As Miss Nebraska, my goal is to advocate for students across our state and to advocate for access to ALL types of mentorship. While many tend to think that advocacy is only done through lobbying or within the political realm, it really can take many forms. The dictionary definition of advocacy is “public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.”
Think about all the people we talk to in a day. At work, at school, at sporting events or even in the grocery store. When we share publicly about a positive experience or event with someone else, we are naturally advocating for that opportunity! When we speak positively about mentoring adventures, mentees or personal mentoring stories, we are sharing the incredible impacts of mentorship, and quite possibly encouraging someone else to get involved!
Through MENTOR, there is a fantastic tool called the Mentoring Connector, where mentors and mentees alike can easily search for various programs and determine which one might be right for them. As I am advocating for access to mentorship this year and encouraging individuals to get involved, I am so excited to share this resource with them!! There are so many programs out there just waiting to serve the young people of Nebraska.
So, as we fall into fall…I encourage you to try something new, think about those who have helped shape your life and consider advocating for those same opportunities simply by sharing your personal story. Take a chance to listen to someone else, to just be there for them. You truly never know how your experiences or your kind presence can change someone’s life for the better!
Happy Fall, Y’all!
-Raechel
Miss Nebraska 2024
