On the evening of Nov. 6, Puente had its second Mentor Mixer of the academic year here at Skyline College. Mentors and mentees from two Puente cohorts met to engage in activities that allowed them to think more deeply about how to address challenges. Rocio Aguilar-Pedroza, one of the Puente counselors, started out with an “Infinity Loop” activity that was intentionally difficult. Groups were then given the solution and shared out their challenges in trying to solve it.
Afterwards Puente faculty Paula Silva, Alberto Santellan, and Lucia Lachmayr facilitated discussion and brainstormed ways to face other challenges that may seem insurmountable, capitalizing on hearing the mentors’ experiences on how to persist. The mentors and mentees came up with ways to address similar challenges in their lives. Groups came up with great strategies they were able to share with each other.
Finally, they discussed the importance of mentors and guides in their lives, past and present, and gave thanks on paper Calaveras (skulls) that we have posted on the LASO altar in the Multicultural Center. Come by and see it!
The event was a wonderful opportunity for students to see that their own mentors also have mentors and that these relationships are something that most professionals value, all reinforcing the concept that nobody does it alone.
The Puente students are incredibly grateful for our amazing mentors!
Article by Lucia Lachmayr
