Mentor Tributes
These are a few of the wonderful tributes we've received.
"Growing up in foster care myself was very stressful and challenging. I had a cousin who owned her own restaurant and tax office. She drove a nice car and had a nice home. I thought, "Wow, if I finish school then maybe this foster care stuff will be behind me and I can be like her." She began to let me work part time for her, and amazingly, I graduated from high school with honors to go on to one of the top 10 colleges in New Jersey to study accounting. Today, I work for the state of Virginia in that field. Even though she was not a mentor through a program and just a relative who happened to fit the job, I'm thankful. At this point in my life I am so excited to be giving back."~ Titania Michele Smith, mentor in the LFSVA MentorMatch program
"I salute my mentor, Dr. Janice M. Mack. She served as the director of the Children's Home of Virginia Baptists, in Chestefield County, VA. She is retired but we still stay in touch. Mrs. Mack was a role model for me while I resided at the home for 10 years. She is a person who listened and always encouraged me to rise above my present circumstances. She always praised me for the positive things I did in school and encouraged me to go to college when I thought I would not make it. She is more than a mentor to me; she is a mother. She has blessed hundreds of children's lives and has made a positive impact in the state of Virginia. She made a difference in my life so I vowed that I would always do the same for a child. "~Deborah Franklin, mentor in the LFSVA MentorMatch program
"Dr. Cramer was my high school Bible and Spanish teacher in Roanoke. He was my teacher and a great deal more. He took time when I was going through a very difficult time in my life. At that time, I did not believe in myself or my abilities. He listened, encouraged and helped me move beyond self-doubt. I still quote him today. He is still an inspiration. I am thankful for those years that he was my teacher and mentor."~ Philip Day, Charlottesville
"Robert Ritchie was my first editor at The Daily Observer newspaper in Toms River, NJ. He allowed a very inexperienced writer to make the kind of mistakes that yield true (and painful) learning. He also encouraged me to think beyond the church/gardening/education beat. He was an all-around nice guy who understood that being an editor to a young staff, while exasperating, was enriching for us all." ~Carole Todd, Newport News
