By AGNES PASCO CONATY

In my work at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, I have the fortune of seeing early career researchers being mentored by senior scientists. And as a college professor, this kind of coaching comes naturally to me — I grab every opportunity to mentor young students who may need a push, some encouragement, even help finding a direction in life. Offering this kind of guidance can be a rewarding two-way street, too. I had the opportunity to mentor a summer intern at Goddard in 2023 who was an excellent Python programmer. She inspired me to go beyond my comfort zone in writing computer codes, and I learned every bit as much from her as she learned from me.

Mentoring is not a new concept, of course. In the Middle Ages, young artisans apprenticed with older, more experienced masters. When he was 15, Leonardo da Vinci apprenticed with artist Andrea del Verrocchio, a renowned teacher who trained him in painting, sculpture and the technical-mechanical arts. And this was common practice in Europe for centuries; teenagers, especially youthful boys, frequently apprenticed with a skilled craftsman who taught them a trade and life skills in exchange for help with day-to-day work.

While we often think of a mentor as someone outside our family circle, vast amounts of mentoring happens, often less formally, at home. Kids learn by watching grandparents, parents and older siblings. When I was growing up in the Philippines, my maternal grandparents lived with us. We all shared in the joy of their passing down family recipes and cooking techniques, sewing know-how and a host of other skills. And along with all that sharing, my Lolo Julian and Lola Maria taught us grandkids valuable life lessons.

Here at home in Laurel, mentoring is my family’s way of life. Over the years, my husband taught our son how to ride a bike, change a tire, wear a tie and pump gas in the car. When my family was home during the pandemic, we had time to rediscover the beauty of family and what matters most to us — and I taught my son how to cook, do the laundry and garden. My mentoring gave my son some of the most rewarding life skills he’s learned from his parents. 

What does it take to be a mentor? Some of the main ingredients are time (and often a willingness to commit to a schedule), an eagerness to share yourself and your knowledge, and the ability to collaborate with someone whose life may appear to be different — maybe even very different — from your own. As you and your mentee get to know each other, you may find that unexpected skills come into play — those fly fishing lures you made years ago? Maybe you and your new partner will both grab poles and end up talking about life down by the river. 

Or you might find yourself becoming a parent figure for a young person who is trying to navigate a complicated world without one. As advanced technology and digital media increasingly influence our lives, we need to look out even more for our youth. We can turn to YouTube for an astonishing array of information, but there are important ingredients in life — acquiring communication and basic social skills, learning how to cook a simple meal, becoming financially literate — that call for us to be teachers. 

And you certainly don’t have to be a NASA scientist like me to participate. A mentor might be a professor who sees beyond a student number or a test score — or that one person in the neighborhood who knows every kid’s name and teaches them how to plant a garden. And those parents in the local soccer team who go the distance beyond being carpool volunteers and field trip chaperones? Mentors! The best mentors I’ve met are ordinary people with a caring heart, and a generous soul.

Right here In Laurel, we have a number of  ready-made opportunities that will help you support young people by becoming a mentor yourself.

The Laurel Boys and Girls Club (tinyurl.com/bdfhjmbk) has been serving young people in our community since the mid-1950s. The organization provides an array of after-school sports programs and activities that foster teamwork and leadership. Our Laurel branch serves about 3,400 kids each year.

4-H Youth Development, Prince George’s County (tinyurl.com/8nf8dre7), is a volunteer-driven program under the auspices of the University of Maryland Extension. The program relies on  mentors to teach basic STEM skills, including robotics, outdoor education and agriculture, camping, public speaking and leadership.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area (bbbsnca.org) is the largest mentoring program in the DMV. Through the program, youth who need positive role models are paired with mentors who support them with academics and personal growth. The program aims to help students remain in school, steer clear of trouble and gain skills for a healthy, productive future. 

First Generation College Bound (fgcb.org), which is based in Prince George’s County and has a center in Laurel, supports high school students who are interested in continuing their education after graduation. Volunteer mentors help them apply to colleges, make career choices and master skills like financial planning.

In the words of Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” When you give a part of yourself to someone else, the reward you get is real: You help make someone’s world a much better place.

Agnes Pasco Conaty is a college math and environmental science adjunct professor who also works as senior research scientist and science lead for the GLOBE Observer Program at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.