Q&As on Imagining Your Future
What is Imagining Your Future?
Herndon High School and The Harraseeket Foundation (pronounced “hair-a-SEEK-it”) are launching a new program to offer students an opportunity to engage with mentors who will help them imagine their lives after high school, and support a variety of at-work learning experiences.
We are particularly looking for community organizations interested in offering multiple members to become mentors.\
Want to learn more?
How does mentoring help?
For young people, mentoring:
Helps a young person interpret and manage life’s challenges, including relationships beyond family
Opens a young person’s eyes to education, training and career possibilities they hadn’t considered
Provides confidence and connections to explore new paths
Boosts cognitive skills and builds empathy, curiosity, resourcefulness, and resilience
Fosters one’s ability to manage emotions and impulses
Provides intergenerational access to the wisdom and experience of nonjudgmental
adults who don’t have an agenda
➢ “My ... conversations with my mentor were incredibly organic, supportive, and fun. I learned a valuable perspective from her, that career paths aren’t always linear and are often enriched by your openness to opportunities. I intend to carry this with me on my career journey, and have greatly enjoyed our newly fostered relationship and correspondence.” – A Harraseeket mentee
➢ “I have thought time and again how important it is for EVERY young person to have a supportive environment to have deep, no pressure self discovery conversations. It is often too late in our lives that we realize we don't have to run the same "race" as everyone else in life, but can be happier if we are intentional about the path we choose for ourselves. Harraseeket helps bring that conversation forward in the lives of young people and allows them to arrive at their own conclusions informed by open ended questions and discussions with mentors who are at different phases of that journey themselves. – A Harraseeket mentor
And we’ve found mentors usually benefit more than mentees!
➢ I understood the need immediately– at certain times in life it is essential to have a guiding hand from a caring adult. What was not clear until after my experience with mentoring was that I was also blessed in the process. We need to give of ourselves in meaningful ways to make life meaningful; and mentoring is a great way to bless and be blessed. Give it a try!” – A Harraseeket mentor
See more feedback from our mentees and mentors below!
What’s involved?
For the students, Imagining Your Future has three parts:
1-on-1 meetings with a trained mentor, at least biweekly for 30 minutes. Meetings would be in-person at Herndon HS and by video.
Participation in a variety of at-work experiences, depending on the grade -- such as field trips, shadowing, informational interviews, and internships.
Attending events, informational sessions, and fun group activities.
For mentors, in addition to meeting with the students biweekly as noted above, mentors would be invited from time to time to participate, if available, in group activities like field trips, forums, informational sessions and fun group activities.
Who is eligible to be a Mentor?
Mentors need to be 21, and complete a training Program by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Harraseeket. They also are screened and fingerprinted.
We are particularly interested in recruiting mentors from community organizations who offer more than one mentor to support the program.
Mentors don't need amazing jobs or careers. Any adult with a little wisdom and experience makes a great mentor. Our training and ongoing education and other support can make any caring adult a great mentor! And we continually strive to engage mentors from all backgrounds, cultures, genders and ages.
Why do you encourage multiple mentors from each community organization? What types of community organizations?
Community organizations can include employers, clubs, faith communities, located near enough Herndon HS for in-person meetings.
Having two or more mentors participate from an organization enhances opportunities for supporting and inspiring each other; sharing best practices and challenges; participating in ongoing group training and continuing education; and participating in group activities with students.
While mentoring is rewarding, it comes with challenges. Feeling supported by other members of the community organization improves the duration, quality and creativity of mentoring relationships!
How is mentoring in “Imagining Your Future” different from regular mentoring?
Our mentoring focuses on a wide variety of topics, with a particular emphasis on learning about education, work and career opportunities after high school. Our mentors guide and support a student as the student seeks out and learns from at-work experiences.
Having at-work experiences as a core part of the mentor-mentee agenda increases the commitment of the student to the mentoring relationship, and provides a ready map to guide conversations as the mentor and mentee get to know each other.
Our mentoring is also about the "whole student" -- more than just work and careers. Mentoring conversations extend to value systems, obligations to self and others, choices we make about living in service to the world, and how who we are translates into how we choose to live our lives.
Where and when will meetings take place?
Career mentors meet with their students throughout the school year at least twice a month for 30 minutes. At least one meeting would be at the school during the school day, and the second meeting can be by video if the student and mentor agree. The school mentoring coordinator can assist in coordinating student availability.
Mentors will also be invited, if they’re available, to join students on field trips, at forums, and at field events.
What if I’m nervous about becoming a mentor? It seems like a big commitment.
It is a meaningful responsibility to help a student imagine their future. But mentors benefit from FCPS and Harraseeket training, a Harraseeket curriculum, continuing education, and regular access to Harraseeket advisers.
What happens if issues arise in my mentoring relationship?
We address a variety of situations in training. Things we cover include:
Mentees who do not show on time or are repeatedly late.
Mentees who show potential for harm to self or harm to others.
Mentees who express a need/desire to opt out of the match/program.
Any time you may be unsure of how to handle a specific situation or are looking for ideas to enhance the mentee’s experience, our mentor leaders will be available to help.
What kind of ongoing support is provided?
You are not alone. Harraseeket mentor leaders are available through email, text, and phone to share their experiences, answer your questions, and provide guidance. We also:
Facilitate mentor groups for periodic meetings as well as continually available digital discussions.
Monitor match relations to identify what’s working and where additional training can lead to more effective relationships.
Design, develop, and implement new training on a quarterly basis and provide opportunities in-person and through remote connections.
How do mentor-mentee relationships end?
The commitment is for one academic year. We recognize that sometimes challenges arise. We focus in the program on
- Avoiding premature closure. Studies indicate that mentoring matches that end prematurely (especially when mentors do not fulfill their commitment and the mentee’s expectations) are worse than no relationship at all. For many mentees, it can represent one more failed relationship in their lives. Shared expectations are critical.
- Means of continuing after the academic year ends. Mutually beneficial relationships frequently continue beyond the initial commitment. It may not fall within the parameters of the formal program, but can still be productive with well-defined parameters. Harraseeket mentor leaders can advise on a wide range of continuation options.
- The right way to close a match. Be open and honest, be positive, foster extended networks for support, and assist in clarifying future goals.
When would I start?
Imagining Your Future kicks off at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. We also hope to have at least one fun event in the summer of 2024 for anyone who’s available.
Want to learn more?
Simply complete the form linked below. You’re not obligating yourself by telling us you’re interested. We’ll hold information sessions for those interested!
Feedback from Harraseeket mentees:
➢ “[Talking with mentors] been very interesting and less confusing. Instead of looking on websites it's helpful to have people actually tell you what work is like.”
➢ “Harraseeket Foundation has provided me with a lifelong network of inspiring, brilliant, and welcoming professionals who have given me direction in my career and an exciting path forward. I am forever grateful for this extraordinary organization.”
➢ In high school I was a mentee in the [Harraseeket] program. My experiences demonstrated that Harraseeket is an organization full of great people with a strong mission. The mentorship program creates intergenerational connections that are rare to find.”
➢ “I would say thank you so much for the amazing opportunity [Harraseeket] gave me. I enjoyed every second of every day I was [at my internship]. I really did learn a lot of new things I didn’t know before. The skills I have learned as well as the information will most definitely help me out later down the road in my future.”
➢ “I've been asked questions that help me focus on what really matters to me, rather than what is the next logical step."
➢ "The [Harraseeket] program has given a meaningful, protected space to explore questions... and really think through what future we want to bring about for ourselves.”
➢ {Harraseeket’s mentoring program] is an atmosphere of complete trust... it's people that come with open hearts and a willingness to share and listen."
➢ The connections I’ve made have helped me explore job opportunities, feel more confident in my abilities, and think about my career from a fresh perspective.”
➢ “My ... conversations with my mentor were incredibly organic, supportive, and fun. I learned a valuable perspective from her, that career paths aren’t always linear and are often enriched by your openness to opportunities. I intend to carry this with me on my career journey, and have greatly enjoyed our newly fostered relationship and correspondence.”
➢ “My mentor conversations have been really helpful. They’ve suggested some other career paths that I wouldn’t have considered before. I’d been getting career tunnel vision— where I could only picture myself doing a few things— my mentors have helped me break out of that thinking. I’ve returned to job searching with a renewed energy.”
Feedback from Harraseeket mentors:
➢ This is so helpful for our youth, and I wish I had it available to me when I was going through the process many moons ago. I think it’s very valuable to help them see that they have access to a wider network than they may realize at first. Religious and social communities (peer friendships, parents’ friends) can allow them to extend their network of knowledge and experience.”
➢ “I served in a mentoring role for a high-school senior... [We] met on a regular basis throughout the senior's last high school year. As with so many mentoring experiences, I felt I learned as much as the folks earlier in their careers. Harraseeket leadership did an exceptional job of identifying and sharing thought-provoking materials. They struck the right balance of guiding us toward content and conversations in line with their mission with letting us create the schedule, agendas, and structure that worked best for us. I've encouraged my own children to participate, having seen the great conversations, growth, and connections made through this program.”
➢ “The [Harraseeket] program has been such an invaluable resource for young adults in their discernment about vocation, meaningful work, and what it means to live a life of meaning.”
➢ “I have thought time and again how important it is for EVERY young person to have a supportive environment to have deep, no pressure self discovery conversations. It is often too late in our lives that we realize we don't have to run the same "race" as everyone else in life, but can be happier if we are intentional about the path we choose for ourselves. Harraseeket helps bring that conversation forward in the lives of young people and allow them to arrive at their own conclusions informed by open ended questions and discussions with mentors who are at different phases of that journey themselves.
➢ “I understood the need immediately--at certain times in life it is essential to have a guiding hand from a caring adult. What was not clear until after my experience with mentoring was that I was also blessed in the process. We need to give of ourselves in meaningful ways to make life meaningful; and mentoring is a great way to bless and be blessed. Give it a try!”
