Today's "Share the Love" Feature: Beatriz M Coronado, Former Mentee

Below are some snippets from her senior essay sharing what the Marietta Mentoring for Leadership Program has meant to her:

A door of opportunity opened up for me when I was just 14 years old. I had become a mentee in the Mentoring for Leadership program. 

I started high school with many goals and dreams with motivation.  I got distracted of my school work afterwards for many reasons. At the end of freshman year, I went from being a prestigious student to a mediocre student. I wanted to drop out of high school. Ms. Marge Kellogg sat with me for almost an hour telling me that even if I made many mistakes, I could not let my mistakes drown me. I decided that I would continue and give my 120% of effort. 

With a new start, I worked to keep my grades up. My mentor and Ms. Marge Kellogg would give me motivation every time they saw me. Both would question constantly if I needed help with anything. My mentor would take me out to celebrate my achievements including the small ones. 

Mentoring for Leadership taught me how to balance and overcome obstacles. Thankful that us students could meet people who had already overcome obstacles and live our own. 

Senior year this school year, I let many of my dreams go. I got into a second round of interviews for scholarships and I missed because I wanted to stay close to my brothers. Mentoring has taught me that I have to follow my dreams, but my heart too is not being able to reach all of my dreams. Made all my work feel useless. Mentoring for leadership made me realize I, Beatriz M Coronado, make the greatest of what little I have. 

I will forever be grateful for the people who made/make time to invest in students. I one day will become a mentor of a student so the cycle of inspiring youth continues on.