Registration Forms Timeline Mentor Events Qualifications Advice Mentor FAQ Contacts

REGISTRATION

Registration for 2010 Expo mentors is now open!

Click here to sign up to be a mentor!

Mentorship Options

• E-mentor: For mentors not able to meet in person due to location. Correspond via e-mail with each assigned student a minimum of 4 times over the year. Read the student’s outline and project rough-draft.
• School Mentor:(*New this year!) Experience has shown that working in a classroom with a captive audience is often easier than working with an individual student who does not follow-through with the mentor. Work with a specific school and teacher, visiting the classroom 3-4 times during the year. (During each visit, the teacher will let you know which students need the most support and you may form your own relationships based on student need.) (Exact class times TBD)
• 1-on-1 Mentor: You agree to have a minimum of one in-person meeting with your student, correspond via e-mail and phone, and read the student’s project outline and rough draft. New this year - Students applying for a 1-on-1 mentor will be recommended by their teachers.
• Job Shadow: You are able to offer the student a job shadow at your place of work, correspond via e-mail and phone, and read the student’s project outline and rough draft.
• Lab Research Mentor: You are available to have a student work with you in your research lab and you will assist the student in the research process.

Combination:
We encourage you to sign up as both a 1-on-1 mentor and school mentor. We will do our best to match you with individual students from the same school you have been assigned. When meeting those students at school during class time, you might encounter other students who are interested in similar topics but don’t need/want the support of a 1-on-1 mentor outside of the classroom.

Expectations and Role of School Mentors:
You will be assigned a specific school and agree to visit the class 3-4 times during the year to work with whoever needs help. Visits will take place during school hours. Your exact mentor role will depend on the school and teacher. You may be working with the neediest students each time, working with the same group of students, or just be available as a content expert. There will be an initial event in the fall to meet the teachers and students and determine your mentor role during the year.

Bringing mentors to the classroom will increase the number of important face-to-face interactions between mentors and students, as well as provide a safety net for students that don’t sign up for an individual mentor but could still benefit from the expertise of an adult in the field of science in the classroom. [Exact class times TBD].

Becoming a SCHOOL MENTOR may be a good match for you if…

• You normally mentor 3-5 students during the school year, and have become frustrated by the general lack of communication (or last-minute communication) from students
• You have the best intentions of meeting your student(s) one-on-one during the school year, but the opportunity never arises
• The e-mail ‘juggling’ from a number of students takes more time and energy than anticipated
• The thought of meeting all of your students at one place at one pre-arranged time appeals to you
• You would be willing to give help and advice to other students in the classroom that have interests in your field of expertise
• You have the flexibility in your schedule to travel to an Expo school 3-4 times during the year.

Becoming a SCHOOL MENTOR may NOT be a good match for you if…

• You usually mentor one or two Expo students and have found this to be a mutually positive experience
• Your schedule does not allow you to visit a school during school hours

This system was piloted last year with teams of mentors going into the classroom at Cleveland High School during the school day and meeting with students at Garfield High School after school. Some of the positive outcomes from this model were:

• By the end of the year, a good rapport was built between a team of adults and the students. These positive interactions often superseded the individual student/mentor relationship, if students had an individual mentor with whom they did not communicate much
• Adults from the same work place could build a team and carpool to the school together for the class period
• Students got a wide range of expertise with a number of adults in the room
• Teachers become more integrated into the Expo program by hosting mentors in the classroom
• Adults knowledgeable about the Expo could answer a variety of questions, regardless of their science background
• Having students as a “captive audience” at school was in many ways easier than relying on messages via e-mail. Feedback from more than one mentor indicated that, although mentoring via e-mail sounds easier and less time-consuming, it was preferable to have dedicated time set aside to meet face-to-face with students during class.

Other Expo Volunteer Opportunities:

In-school Expo Coordinator: This is a more in-depth volunteer opportunity for anyone wanting to spend time in a classroom. Assist an Expo teacher approximately one (1) hour per week. Get to know the students and their mentors! Help students: register online, keep track of Expo deadlines, understand their category requirements and compile their final projects. Respond to students and mentors as needed and guide them in a successful mentor relationship. You will be coordinating with the Expo teacher, NWABR Expo Mentor Coordinator, other NWABR staff, and students and mentors. Please contact Evelyn Laminack, Mentor Coordinator at elaminack@nwabr.org or 206-957-3337 if you are interested in this opportunity.

Readers of Student Papers: You do not need to be a scientist! This is a great volunteer opportunity for anyone with a good understanding of the written English language. Throughout the month of March, approximately 3-4 students will send you an electronic copy of their 10-12 page paper. We request you provide feedback within two weeks of receipt. Students will benefit from feedback on what they’re doing right and any suggestions for increased clarity and adherence to acceptable writing conventions. Students understand they are not to rely on you for specific rewording or for science content. Consistent challenges you may see in their work usually includes problems with appropriate paragraph breaks, homonym traps (you’re vs. your), and not knowing when to break up text with section headings. They will also benefit from your feedback on voice, tense, clarity, any sections that are exciting or dull, word choice, etc. Please contact Evelyn Laminack, Mentor Coordinator at elaminack@nwabr.org or 206-957-3337 if you are interested in this opportunity.

Expo Judges: You will need to be available for an afternoon prejudging session and on the day of the Expo. Mentors are welcome to be judges if judging in a category other than the one chosen by the mentee. More information and sign-up for 2010 will be available on our Judges' page shortly.

ADDITIONAL FORMS

MANDATORY: Background Check Form - please print out and mail or fax
(pdf) (word)
If you completed a form last year, it is not necessary to resubmit this form.

Mentor/Student Initial Project Development Form - This form is designed to help advisors and students discuss the initial stages of a project.
(pdf) (word)

Mentor Welcome Packet - available soon

Download the Mentor Brochure - available soon

TIMELINE FOR MENTORS


October 2009-December 2009
Mentors matched with students
Please contact your student within one week of being matched.

December 2009 - April 2010
Students work on Project

January - Outlines due to mentor
March - Final rough draft to mentor
April - Projects DUE to teachers (some classes may have earlier due dates, please check with your student)

May 2010 Expo!!

More specific 2010 dates will be posted shortly.

MENTOR EVENTS

Check back soon for mentor events!

If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be a perfect mentor!
Mentors need not have PhDs though it is best if their work relates to either scientific research, biotechnology/biomedicine, or to one of the student project categories such as art, performance, web design or writing. Previous mentors have included lawyers (biotech patent lawyers) and architects (research facility designers). Our best mentors are creative, resourceful people with an interest in science. All mentors are required to complete a background check prior to working directly with students.