Mentored students benefit both personally and academically.

A mentor can help anyone, but young people especially benefit from the combination of direction, insight, confidence, and camaraderie that mentors bring. A mentor’s support can assist us in dealing with current challenges and developing abilities that we will use for the rest of our lives.

Having a mentor as a student with a disability, in my case hearing loss, is critical to developing a sense of belonging in a community that understands and welcomes you. Young people can explore who they are and what they want to do in a safe environment with this help. At the same time, as someone with a disability, finding a mentor who understands my entire experience is a little more difficult.

Younger pupils, in particular, may not be aware of any other students with hearing impairment. It’s not unusual for a child to be the only deaf or hard of hearing individual in a class — or even a school district. It’s challenging to feel like no one else in your town gets you. Working with my teacher at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech has been beneficial not only in terms of academic development but also in terms of learning that I am not alone. I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to advocate for myself in a variety of situations, as well as communicate with other students with hearing loss in order to foster a sense of community.

The majority of people have never walked the journey that those of us with disabilities have. Mentors that are Black, African, or disabled women are difficult to come by in my community. As a result, I’ll need to locate mentors for various aspects of my identity. I don’t have that one person that knows everything about me, but I have a lot of individuals I can turn to for help and resources.

Once you’ve experienced the benefits of having a mentor, you may be motivated to help others in the future. In the year 2020, I collaborated with Leaders of Tomorrow, a youth-led group, on challenges affecting kids with impairments and English-language learners. I felt compelled to do more when that mentorship experience ended.

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