Creativity & Career Mentoring

For seven years, the BB2C Mentor Program has been partnering with professionals in the community who volunteer their time to mentor middle school students in Washington County Schools. Through the program, mentors and students work together to develop professional skills including goal setting, communication, time management, and relationship building. They also spend time discussing school, exploring careers, and learning from each other.

Five years ago, the Career Mentor Program started partnering with Marietta College to provide a field-trip experience for the students and mentors from different schools to come together and have fun. It has historically been the overwhelmingly favorite part of the experience for the students. This year 17 mentors and 34 students from all of the public schools in Washington County attended a half-day event led by the Office of Community Engagement, the McDonough Center for Leadership and Business, and the Entrepreneurship Program at Marietta College.

Dr. Jacqueline Khorasanni and Dr. Amy Elliott worked with a group of MC students to create an event that was interactive and fun. Titled, Let's Get Creative: The main objective of this year's program was to enhance the students' ability to think and act creatively. Students and mentors engaged in developing a product to sell that aimed to enhance students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills while also enhancing their ability to communicate effectively. Once done creating a product, each team had to give a sales pitch to the entire group. Congratulations to all the students! Your ideas were tremendous. Special shout out to the team who created the “Lazy Girl Recliner” for earning the most votes.

Students also created Passion Cubes to help them explore what skills they have, what they like to do, and what types of careers would use their skills and interests. They were directed to write different things on each side of the cube including one thing they were passionate about, two reasons "Why?" they were passionate about it, and three skills they possessed. After folding the paper into a cube, students were then able to brainstorm a potential career that encompassed both their passion and their skills.

Students comments about the day included:
It was very entertaining
It was fun and I really enjoyed it I wish we could do it again
We all had to work together and create something
Because it put my creativity to use
I got to express my ideas. And talk to a huge crowd without messing up

Mentors added:
I love that it helps the students identify their strengths and use strengths & passions to identify careers.
I enjoyed watching the students work together to develop their pitch.
It required quick thinking and teamwork.
Both skills I feel are applicable to many careers.
Students were driven to work together
Like the thought it provoked

Interested in becoming a Career Mentor? Contact Barb Schafer, Career Mentor Coordinator, at bschafer@bb2careers.org. Trainings for the 2022-2023 school year will occur in Washington County in August.