Generating Sparks for Student Success

Ms. Pat Rosenberg and HISD Assistant Principal Tristan Love

At a recent Mentor U, SBISD’s mentor continued education program, district mentors witnessed how hope, guidance, and having a champion can positively spark change.

Tristan Love, whose story of transformation from gang life to his current role as the youngest Assistant Principal in HISD, powerfully illustrated the impact his mentor, Pat Rosenberg, had on his personal journey. The event’s atmosphere was one filled with inspiration and pride. Love’s mentor, Pat Rosenberg, was on hand to discuss her role as his mentor and the positive impact mentoring can have on mentees, mentors, and the collective community.

Ms. Rosenberg’s shared how she was to see ‘the spark’ in Tristan before he could even see if for himself. Her ability to recognize his hidden potential and expand that energy into a positive direction has been a pillar of Love’s and Rosenberg’s sustained, positive relationships. 

The theme of the Mentor U, Sparking Sparks, focused on giving SBISD mentors the tools needed to help mentees find their spark. From starting conversions about things that inspire students to get up in the morning, enjoy some activities more than others, and even channeling and transform actions like stubbornness into a spark of determination, mentors left the meeting with a range of ideas to generate conversation and positive action with their mentees.

Also, mentors received a check list of the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets, research-based building blocks all young people need to develop into healthy, caring and responsible adults. Mentors will be able to use the checklist to guide conversations with their mentees to help discover their sparks. 

Mr. Love stressed the importance of expanding the discussions about how certain ‘sparks’ can lead to career options, and how mentors can help mentees connect with people who are currently doing those jobs so the students will get a vision of where they can grow and go.

Feedback following the event was outstanding, with mentors noting a deeper understanding of their own sparks, and the knowledge to guide the same discovery for mentees.

Thank you to Mr. Love and Ms. Rosenberg for sharing their story with SBISD Mentors! If you’re interested in learning more about SBISD’s Mentor U events or would like to apply to be a mentor, click here.

Read more about Mr. Love and his inspirational journey here.