Does mentorship really matter?
- Ayo Olufade
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Authored by Dr. Ayo Olufade
If you walked into our high school Open House, you would see the answer.
My favorite moments during our visits are meeting the incoming first-year students as they walk into our building for the very first time, walking down our huge hallways, and walking through rows of tables, including our VEX Robotics table. If you look closely at the faces of our new students, walking along with their parents, you can often see the anxiety on their faces and the unspoken questions running through their minds:
Do I belong here?
Will I fit in?
Does this school have the programs that match my dreams?
Stepping into a completely new environment is daunting. When these students stand on the fence at our VEX Robotics table, they aren’t just looking at gears and code; they are looking for a place to land.
That is why we don’t just recruit for a club; we build an ecosystem. #MentorshipMatters because it takes a village to transform that freshman anxiety into confidence:
For the Parents: You are our anchors. You do not need to be an engineer to champion a child’s dream. When you encourage curiosity at home, travel to weekend competitions, and show up with the pizza, drinks, and refreshments to keep the team fueled, you are building their sense of belonging. Your presence behind the scenes goes a long way.
For the Industry Professionals: You provide the real-world horizon. When you step in to share your journey, judge a competition, or spend just an hour answering technical questions, you show an anxious student what is possible for their future. Your support can be as simple as a brief visit or mentorship session-every contribution counts.
For the Educators: You build the platform. By weaving hands-on, competitive engineering concepts into the standard curriculum, through physics, computer science, or engineering courses, you create a structured playground where curiosity beats out fear.
As a parent, mentor, coach, educator, and advocate in/for STEAM careers and education, I believe that when parents show commitment, educators build the platform. Industry pros provide real-world connections, and the ecosystem becomes vibrant, fun, and profoundly functional. Your involvement makes a real difference in shaping confident students for the future STEAM workforce.
Whether you are a parent, an educator, or a tech professional, your participation matters. Your support helps create a strong, connected community that nurtures student success. Let’s build this village together.
How does your industry or community help young people bridge the gap from anxiety to opportunity? Your involvement can inspire hope and confidence. Please drop your comment below.