Spring Branch ISD Featured News

 

A line from the Simon and Garfunkel hit, slightly altered, describes the relationship of mentor Mary Meyer and 11th grade mentee Alicia Balbuena: Still ‘talking’ after all these years.

“We both like to talk,” said Meyer. “We have no trouble talking 30 minutes.”

They first met each other in when Alicia was in third grade at Shadow Oaks Elementary (SOE) in Spring Branch ISD as part of the district’s SpringBoard Mentoring Program. Balbuena is now a junior at Spring Woods High School, and she and her mentor continue to meet weekly for chats about family, work, boyfriends, grades, and more.

In recalling how she got involved with SpringBoard eight years ago, Meyer said her boss at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital encouraged her and another co-worker to attend a new mentor training, since the hospital is a community partner involved in SBISD.

He told her, “Just go and see what it’s about. You don’t have to sign up.”
Meyer learned at the training that being a mentor only requires spending one lunch hour per week with a student “on the brink of success.” She decided to give it a try, and was matched with Alicia.

Now, Meyer proudly adds her experience as a mentor to her annual evaluation at Memorial Hermann, where she is an RN involved with post-discharge quality control and patient data.

“She is one of my biggest motivators,” said Balbuena of her mentor. “If I didn’t have her in third grade, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Where Balbuena is, is super involved with many activities in and out of school, and on a pathway to T-2-4 success. Balbuena is part of the RISE cohort at SWHS, a program run by the Women’s Resource to provide financial education and career planning for independent young women.  An essay Balbuena wrote won a $500 prize from the organization, money she is saving for college. 

Other groups she is part of at school are: Tigerettes dance team (manager), Collegiate Challenge, and Academy of Finance. Outside of school she works at Pappasito’s and attended a Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge camp.

“She is very social, loves people, and gets involved in things,” said Meyer.

As their relationship has grown, Meyer has become more than a mentor to her mentee. “I feel like one of the family,” she said, having been invited to talent shows, birthday parties, Alicia’s first communion, a sibling baptism, and more. For the past couple of years, Meyer has invited Balbuena to volunteer at her church’s fall festival to gain volunteer experience for her resume.

Balbuena is appreciative of her mentor’s guidance over the years, even when Meyer offers some ‘old school’ advice such as taking the high road when dealing with hardheaded people and being aware of “messages” sent with what you wear to school. “When I try her ideas, they usually work,” said the student.

Meyer regularly emphasizes academic excellence to her mentee, asking weekly, “How are your grades?” This school year, she is especially reminding Balbuena that grades earned through the junior year will determine her class rank and GPA for college applications next fall.

“We both respect and care about each other,” said Meyer. “I want her to succeed.”

“When she started with me in third grade, it was like she was started school all over again,” said Balbuena about her mentor. “She deserves to walk with me at graduation.”

After high school, Balbuena has her sights on an entrepreneurship major at the University of Houston, and because of her love of dance and business, wants to run her own nightclub.

A further testament to the power of mentoring: “I want to be a mentor someday. I realize how it has benefited me,” said Balbuena.

A little investment of time each week does make a positive impact in the life of a young person. If you are interested in making a difference in the life of an SBISD student one lunchtime per week, read more about the SpringBoard mentoring program here, or contact mentor@springbranchisd.com.

Submitted by Becky Wuerth, SBISD Communications

becky.wuerth@springbranchisd.com