a mentor's journey

By Josseline Ramirez

Academic education encouraged Neri Rodriguez’s passion for mentoring others. He is a senior at Yerba Buena High School and also a part of the LSU (Latino Student Union) club, he frequently participates in rallies and is a very social person.

Rodriguez grew up with parents who have sacrificed their education to give him a good life. Looking up to his parents, he wants to become the best person he can be. 

Rodriguez: “I look up to my parents, because they've sacrificed so much for me, becoming an edumacation person so you know I really look up to them.”

Being in classes with his friends, it's often that someone asks him for support. I remember personally asking him for help on an assignment in math and he always had an answer for me and supported me throughout that time. 

These experiences have helped him realize how much he enjoys helping people. This passion is something he has his eyes set on for the future.

Rodriguez defines that being a mentor is someone who takes time out of their day to support people who need that extra push and he feels as though he could be that someone. 

Rodriguez: “So what I mean by mentoring/ helping people with their studies especially in things they struggle with, especially in math, so I see myself mentoring kids or high school people that really struggle in these subjects, I feel like I could do a really good job on that.”

One of Rodriguez’s proudest moments during high school was when he took on the role of being people's mentor for the first time and helping them succeed. 

Rodriguez: “My proudest achievement would be last year where I would go and mentor people and you know I was really proud of it because I helped this one kid get a good grade on his test and it really made me happy because it was my mentoring that helped.”

Although Rodriguez does see himself being a mentor now, he did not always see it that way. He did have some hardships throughout his life to get to the mentality that he has now. 

When Rodriguez was younger, he would often spend his time struggling with his own challenges. He spent hours trying to figure out his own problems that he now can blast through with no issue.

Rodriguez: “A struggle in my childhood that made me want to become a mentor was my parents divorce. I didn't really have anyone to support me with homework or advice in general, so I want to become the person I needed in my childhood.”

Rodriguez has supported himself his whole life and he doesn't plan on changing that.