Assignment 26: Mentorship Reflection

Honors Mentorship has by far been one of the best experiences of my high school career. Through it I have gained an understanding of the logistics of working in my career field. Additionally, the most important thing I gained through my mentorship was the relationships that I formed with my mentor and the others at my mentorship. Being active and trying my best to be entirely engaged in my mentorship, even during a "boring" workday, really helped me make the most of my experience.

The most important takeaway I have from this experience were the real-life interactions I was able to have with people in the field of city planning. Through working with Alpharetta I sat in on meetings with developers and city officials. I was able to see planning in real-time, and the amount of time and steps it takes before you can break ground on a new development. I feel like I am much more prepared to take on a career in planning and local government. When I went into my mentorship, I was unsure of whether or not I wanted to pursue a career in planning. Now, however, I know for sure that I belong in city government.

The most important advice I have for future students in Honors Mentorship is to be proactive. My first potential mentor fell through, so all of last summer I had to search frantically for a new mentor. I was actually so close to giving up, but I am so glad that I persisted. Another thing I want to tell new members is to make sure you establish a great relationship with your mentor. I am so happy that Mr. Woodman and I were able to grow so close during this experience. It's important to have these relationships so your mentor will not only be your mentor during this class; they can be your mentor for life.

Yasamin, 5/3