None of is are completely responsible for his or her successes thus far. Many people along the way have helped us get where we are today. Several of us had that teacher who went the extra mile or that parent who encouraged and supported us through the years. We may have had those community leaders or older students, family members or friends who took us under their wings, invested themselves in our progress and helped to steer us in the right direction.
We all stand on the shoulders of giants. Education is basically the process of passing cumulative knowledge from one generation — and all previous generations — to the next generation, so its members may use what is known to create new knowledge. This intergenerational sharing of knowledge is often informal. In fact, the most valuable lessons are shared, taught and learned outside of the classroom. Everyone has the potential to be a teacher or a mentor.
I would like to challenge you all, as Brown students, to seriously consider mentoring and helping those who could benefit from your perspective and expertise. The need is definitely there. Be generous not only with your money, but with your time, sincerity, knowledge, effort and passion.
A Pew Public/Private Ventures study analyzing 959 boys and girls found that those with mentors were, after 18 months, 46 percent less likely to use drugs, 27 percent less likely to use alcohol, 37 percent less likely to skip class and 53 percent less likely to skip school. A Proctor and Gamble study found that young people with mentors were more likely to stay in school, attend classes, be less disruptive in class, get better grades and attend college. These studies demonstrate that mentoring has real and significant effects on its beneficiaries as well as upon those who provide their talents. Even on College Hill, take time to make yourself a friend and mentor some younger students.
Though I am passionate about informing, advising and guiding younger students, I did not have formal experience in doing so until this past summer. This summer, during which I was a “mentor” with co-workers to a group of rising high school seniors through a college access and career readiness program, was the most enlightening of my life. For many, myself included, helping others yields a sense of purpose and satisfaction.
Most of us want to leave a legacy for others to see, build upon and draw inspiration from. We express this desire in many ways, such as by deciding to have children, choosing to be a teacher, counselor or adviser, pursuing philanthropy and forming relationships with others. But when one thinks of legacy, one is often inclined to think about something in the future, usually on a grand scale. The truth is that we all can leave a legacy, no matter our ages or backgrounds.
We all can and should leave a living legacy with others. That can range from doing something as simple as sharing helpful or important knowledge with others, to helping run errands or doing favors for those who may be unable, to something as involved as mentoring a younger student over the course of several years.
Though we all have different backgrounds and life experiences, we have all had at least one person who went the extra mile. In the spirit of the arrival of the new school year, I would like to ask everyone to go the extra mile for as many others as you can.
Armani Madison ’16 is grateful to those who have helped him to grow over the course of this summer — and over the course of his life. He can be reached at armani_madison@brown.edu.
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