2025 Mentors of the Month

x
Q&A With Jillian
​
​1.What’s your fondest memory from spending time with your mentee?

My fondest memories with Ronzeneyla are our annual traditions around Christmas time. Every year we do something festive like ice skating, going to see light displays, etc. Most years I take her to the Gaylord for the Christmas village and “ice!” experience. It always feels like a time when we can lean into the joy of the season, laugh together, enjoy each other’s company and let the craziness of life slip away.


2.Which was your favorite Peer Group?

They are all amazing! One that stands out is spending the day with medical students at Howard University. It was inspiring to learn the students’ journey and helped expose the kids to chasing their dreams and some of the amazing opportunities they can pursue. It also taught great lessons on anatomy and living a healthy lifestyle.


3.What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced since becoming your mentee’s mentor?

The biggest challenge for me has been setting and keeping to healthy boundaries on my role as a mentor.


4.What are some of your hobbies/things you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, traveling, and spending time with my pups and friends and family. I’ve tried to introduce Ronzeneyla to many of these things!
x
Q&A With Lauren
​
1.What’s your fondest memory from spending time with your mentee?
One of my favorite memories with Donjae was when we hung out just doing homework together for three hours—lol—and he has been showing progress ever since. This moment showed me how much our bond is growing and how impactful this mentorship can be.

2.Which was your favorite Peer Group?
We haven’t experienced many Peer Groups yet. Still, the Christmas Party was a lot of fun because I got to see my mentee interact with other kids in the program and got to see him light up playing football, which at the moment is one of his favorite hobbies.

3.What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced since becoming your mentee’s mentor?  The biggest challenge I’ve faced is consistency in communication. However, I see every challenge as an opportunity to grow and I’m committed to meeting Donjae where he is while helping him move forward.

4.What are some of your hobbies/things you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love exploring new restaurants, traveling and working on creative projects. I also enjoy reading and continuously learning new things that help me grow both personally and professionally. Giving back to the community has always been important to me, whether through mentorship, supporting young professionals, or helping small businesses with branding and marketing strategies.
x
Q&A With Arlo
1.What’s your fondest memory from spending time with your mentee?
My best memory with Marquis is from our recent trip to the National Portrait Gallery. It's been gratifying to watch his attitude on museums shift -- during our first few outings he was not super excited about them, but now he looks forward to them and even requests them for our outings. At the National Portrait Gallery, he was excited to see a portrait of someone named Marquis (de Lafayette) and it was cool to witness his genuine enthusiasm. Hearing him call a uniform from the 1700s a "W fit" always makes me laugh too.​

2.What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced since becoming your mentee’s mentor?  It's finding new ways to drive home the same message: your grades and your behavior at school are paramount to getting to where you want to go. It's not always easy and we have had some minor setbacks in our (almost) two years of working together, but it's been rewarding to see the message slowly take root for him.

3.What are some of your hobbies/things you like to do in your free time?
I like going to different great restaurants around the city, and catching whatever NBA game is on TV (Go Celtics!)

Match of the Year!

Meet James, BEST Kids' Mentor of the Year, and his mentee, Joshua!
From music stores to basketball courts and bowling lanes, they’ve created amazing memories together. James also brings Joshua to peer group events, strengthening their bond while exploring new experiences.
Congrats, James and Joshua—we can’t wait to see what’s next!

2024 Mentors of the Month

2023 Mentors of the Month