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From Residential Assistant to Mentor | Guiding an Academically Talented Student

By Meghan Morris, former CTD Summer Residential Advisor

Before I met my group of academically talented middle school students during the Center for Talent Development’s (CTD) Summer 2012 sessions, I understood the value surrounding the roles of caring adults. Mentors can help shape students’ value systems, navigate challenging life circumstances, and sharpen decision-making skills at a critical stage of development.

Knowing the importance of mentors and living it, I soon found out that summer after my freshman year at Northwestern University, are two different animals. I was the residential assistant for two groups of middle school girls in three-week sessions, and worked with one student in particular. In the classroom and on the basketball court, Sabrina excelled by all counts – but she was silently struggling. During her second summer at CTD’s middle school program, the academically talented student, now a senior in high school, worked through a time of anxiety, stress about self-image, and conflict with friends and family.

Over the course of our three short weeks together, I tried to speak a bit and listen far more, recognizing Sabrina’s emotional distress. A multitude of research has shown that gifted students have an increased capacity for relationships with adults and benefit not only academically, but also emotionally, from being mentored. Sabrina, with whom I have stayed in contact, said that single summer before high school changed her trajectory.

“Meghan helped me become more vocal about my mental and emotional health. The compassion and genuine care I received made me feel powerful enough and loved enough to turn things around and be kinder to myself.”

Our bond was facilitated by the kind of interaction possible at residential programs, because Sabrina interacted with me at multiple meals and group meetings daily, and knew she could approach me individually with any concern, large or small. She noted how differently she interacted with me and other mentors compared to regular employees: “When I look for just any staffer, I’m probably asking them ‘Where’s the bathroom?’ When I’m with a mentor, I’m asking them ‘Will you give me advice about school?’ and ‘I know this is really personal but can I talk to you about…?’”

“Ultimately, the mentoring Meghan gave me provided me with a very solid foundation of awareness and self-care before entering high school,” Sabrina said.

For students seeking an academic residential experience, learning can extend far beyond the classroom due to the connections they make and the community they form.

Sabrina attended two years of the CTD Spectrum program and one year of the CTD Equinox program after her freshman year of high school. She is attending Harvard University in the fall.

Meghan is a writer who earned her MS in Journalism from Northwestern University.

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