Not every scholar has a set plan going into their summer, but that doesn鈥檛 mean they plan on devoting their time to relaxing on the couch from the end of May to September. That was the case for me. At the tail end of my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to get a job or internship so I could have some money going into college and pay for my books. The only problem was that I had so much focus on my college decision and other conflicts I had at home, I put my summer plans on the back burner.

Year 1 Scholars meet every month, and in February, the host gave us the normal dose of events and opportunities that CS Alumni are involved in. They included an opportunity to be a summer intern for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). I have been familiar with the CTA for all of my life; I’ve ridden the buses and trains for years, and some of my family members are bus and train operators. I jumped on the opportunity and sent in my resume. A month and a half later, I accepted their job offer and got ready to do my onboarding as an official CTA summer intern.

As a summer intern, my job was to work through virtual and in-person sessions at Olive Harvey College. I participated in professional development workshops both on campus and Zoom and completed self-guided work assigned by Accenture Chicago. It was great collaborating with cohort members from other high schools around Chicagoland to produce a capstone project about mental and physical wellness within the CTA.

My main takeaway from this experience was how much I learned about the CTA as a whole. I was aware of the different bus and train lines, but not how far they go. I really enjoyed learning more about the different neighborhoods and communities that have made the train lines part of their urban culture. For example, White Sox-35th is the Red Line stop where people get off to go see the White Sox play at Guaranteed Rate Field. On a line that I鈥檇 ridden countless times, I had no idea how central it was to the neighborhood.

CS helps Scholars plan out their summer plans, whether that be a job or another means of college preparation. Before I wrote this article, I received a call from a representative in the Leadership Development Team about an internship opportunity. Although I have an internship already setup for myself, the connection still remains on the table if my plans change. CS keeps the door of opportunity open all year round.

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I went to the office for a student open house hosted by Team Lift, CS鈥� college success team. It was smack dab in the middle of final exam season, and it was a chance for College Scholars to stop in, have a snack, get a tour of the office, and take a break from the stress from finals. When I got off the elevator on the 7th floor, I expected the open house itself to be front and center without much depth to walk around and explore. Oh, how I was proven wrong during the tour.

It took me two or three hallway turns and a walk into the wrong room just to find everyone. When I walked in, the environment and tone was clear right off the bat. The office was welcoming, and when I say that, I don鈥檛 mean welcoming me for the first time. I mean 鈥渨elcoming me back鈥� as if I had been there a thousand times.

One thing that was exciting for me was that I could finally put names to faces. The office team was so friendly and great at sparking conversation that it almost became impossible not to recognize voices and names. 鈥淥h, you are the person that sends out Lift emails!鈥�, 鈥淣o way! You鈥檙e the person that called me about a summer internship opportunity!鈥� It was like a family reunion years and years after the last gathering. And speaking of family reunion, it was the very first chance that I got to meet scholars from my CS class of 鈥�26 outside of Zoom screens!

The thing that really highlighted the experience was being able to meet Jeffrey Beckham Jr., the CEO of 海角乱伦社区. Yes, the CEO stopped by to say hello during the tour. And like the rest of the team, the positive energy radiated through the man in charge. He asked about our schools, majors, whether we needed anything, and reminded us that he鈥檚 always someone we can reach out to.

Before the open house, I hadn鈥檛 seen nor met the team or the office, but there wasn鈥檛 a second I felt uncomfortable or uneasy. Alexis, Alicia, Amy, Alexandra, and Yasmine did a great job reminding me that CS鈥� doors are always open, anytime.

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I believe the students and mentors are the two factors that make CS the special organization it is, although the de facto focus is on the students and our achievements as Scholars both inside and outside of school. That’s why I felt that the mentors should be highlighted first at the end of this academic year.

In my first Launch workshop late 2021, I met my mentor Shanthi Cambala. After a few icebreaker games, I felt far more relaxed and optimistic about how the next few sessions would go. Fast-forward to Spring 2023, and Shanthi is one of my biggest supporters in my academic and creative pursuits.

鈥淎fter scanning through multiple volunteer sites, I came across the opportunity to volunteer with CS Writing Labs, and given my love of writing, and I was immediately interested!鈥� Shanthi said.聽 鈥淥ne student reached out to me and asked if I would be willing to meet with him personally to assist with his creative writing portfolio. That particular student got into his top choice schools. It was after that moment that I knew that I would enjoy being a mentor, and the rest is history!鈥�

鈥淭he first year took a LOT of planning, because there were so many moving pieces, especially with the unpredictability of the pandemic at the time. The primary questions that we as mentors asked was, 鈥淗ow do we build relationships virtually and keep everyone engaged?鈥� The year (Year 2) was vastly different.鈥� Shanthi said that Year 2鈥檚 less virtual structure gave her the challenge of aligning her own time with that of her five Year 2 Scholars. Once that was clear, her main priority was centered around Scholar wellness. 鈥淚 really wanted to focus on listening and meeting Scholars where they were at.鈥� To Shanthi, the mentor-Scholar relationship is 鈥渞ooted in being open with one another鈥e want to get to know you, and most importantly, we want to be able to help you in your journey!鈥� Mentors are here to guide you through the taught times, and we appreciate the trust that you put in us through such a foundational stop in your careers.鈥�

For me, Shanthi is the perfect example of what makes CS special. When she invests her time towards her Scholars, it is not for the sake of just getting the job done. She wants to get eye level with us. After her monthly check-ins, she will always tell us anytime to reach out to her, no matter the reason. She has a true impact on my life, so I asked her how has 海角乱伦社区 impacted her life?

鈥満＝锹衣咨缜� has, first and foremost, helped me to feel connected and engaged with the Chicago community.鈥� Shanthi says, 鈥淚t has been exciting for me to get to know my Scholars and fellow Mentors, and I love hearing everyone鈥檚 stories!鈥�

The deadline to apply to be a mentor for the Class of 2028 has been extended to May 17, 2023! Learn more

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When I was selected to be a CS Scholar, I had a vague idea of what CS mentoring was. I was apprehensive at first. I was happy to be part of CS, but I didn鈥檛 want the program to be a repetitive back and forth of 鈥淗ow are things?鈥� and 鈥淕ood, what do you need from me?鈥� It certainly didn鈥檛 help that our sessions were Zoom and I could only see and hear my mentors, John Smart and Shanthi Cambala, in 2×4 boxes on the corner of my screen. I quickly learned how needlessly worried I was. Shanthi and John created games that sparked conversation between me and others in the cohort, relating to one another鈥檚 high school life. They didn鈥檛 force themselves into the discussion, but instead chimed in with their own experiences and advice.

Shanthi and John never made me feel any kind of pressure during my college decision process. They never jabbed me for updates on decisions from the admissions offices nor to know which school I was selecting. Instead, they reminded me that I was still human and even though I was in the middle of the most crucial points in my life, they were giving me their full support. I never felt like their care for mentoring me was going to abruptly stop when I graduated and got to college.

I selected Shanthi as my Year 2 Mentor because of how well I related to her. I never experienced mentorship from someone who is relatively close to the same junction I was in at the time. Shanthi is still going on her educational journey as I am, which I personally feel allows us to be more transparent and gives her a better understanding of what I may need help with or where I might be struggling.

I still keep in touch with John on a routine basis. He had recognized that my interest in film and television did not have as many conventional avenues that other scholar interests had. He connected me with an experienced director in the film industry so I could gather some expertise and tips on how to gain experience and notability.

When the formalities of 鈥渕entor/mentee鈥� are gone, I believe I鈥檒l have two wonderful friendships with Shanthi and John. The routine we have when it comes to staying in touch and considering each other鈥檚 well-being and potential, I confidently think that the foundation has already been laid.

What do you think is the heart and soul of mentorship? Why not develop a connection with a Scholar as a mentor yourself?

The application to become a CS mentor is now due on May 17! Learn more

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At the start of my senior year, the world was still testing the waters when it came to opening back up. All school buildings were open to students and faculty, but at any sign of COVID, they would shut down and go fully remote again. Extracurriculars were back, but they could be canceled in a heartbeat. Until second semester, we had to wear masks in the classroom. As a senior, I could never be sure that I鈥檇 have all the traditional milestones other classes enjoyed.

The hardest part was the stress of college applications. I had organized myself when preparing for college applications, but I was nowhere near ready as I thought. I had planned to meet with college admissions reps at Onsite, but had to face the reality of those meetings being virtual. This meant that I had to work especially hard on all materials I submitted. It was a demoralizing challenge to say the least. I would look at admissions reps that were willing to meet with me over Zoom, doing my best to smile and be professional while on the inside, I was freaking out because there was no one at home to help me stay calm.

Thankfully, as a year one Scholar, I had resources to help me get through these difficulties. My cohort mentors kept me motivated with my applications and didn鈥檛 interrogate me about whether any decisions were made. On top of that, 海角乱伦社区 offered workshops in our monthly meetings to practice Zoom etiquette and how to best get organized and feel confident when we eventually pressed that submit button.

Now that I鈥檓 in year two attending Columbia College, where normalcy has officially returned and is encouraged to students, I look back and reflect on the support I had to guide me through the challenging year. It is a bittersweet reflection, though, because I can鈥檛 help but think about the 8th grade students that transitioned into high school at the same time I was exiting it. I had that moment before the pandemic struck, and it was difficult for me. I can only hope that they had a support system similar to the one I was lucky enough to have, to remind them they aren鈥檛 alone in the stressful transition. Many students can attest to that.

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