What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a development partnership through which one person shares knowledge, skills, information, and perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of someone else.
Why should I mentor?
Most girls are in need of a positive role model outside of the home. They need to see, and hear from people who can identify with what they are going through. They need a compassionate person who is willing to offer their time to help them become a positive citizen.
What's in it for me?
Zidonia Wong
Being a native of Las Vegas, I’ve seen a lot of things, both good and not so good. However, I’m grateful for my experiences because it’s enabled me to give back to my community. Becoming a mentor is by far one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life thus far. Meeting with the girls of Purple W.I.N.G.S. every week has been rewarding in a multitude of ways. Listening to their stories and seeing the light in their eyes when they reach their goals, or talk about their future makes my heart smile. As I mentor, part of my responsibility is motivating and inspiring my mentees to reach their full potential, to feel empowered and be the best person they can be. I had no idea helping them would be twofold; without knowing, they motivate and inspire me to be a better person also. Some of the obstacles our girls face are unfathomable, but they keep pushing forward, they keep smiling and they refuse to give up. Knowing that I, in some way, have placed a seed of hope in their hearts, a word of encouragement into their spirits and love into their lives makes it impossible for me to give up. They’re drive strengthens me to move forward when I’m not feeling my best. Mentoring has been a blessing and given me fulfillment and joy in my life, unspeakable.
Alexis Merz
Mentoring has changed my life tremendously. Not only have I impacted the lives of the girls, but they have also impacted me in the most extraordinary way. It has been a learning experience for us all. The girls have taught me to be more understanding and I have been opened to a more diverse world. I have such an appreciation for the girls. I have gained a feel of what it is like walking a day in their shoes. I look at every girl as a younger sister. The girls admire me and it is a wonderful feeling to know that they can look up to my accomplishments. I am twenty years old and to hear that the girls want to be just like me when they grow up touches me. I am not even fully grown up and to know that the girls see an admirable young woman in me is absolutely amazing. It's in my heart to help others and I would not have it any other way. Purple W.I.N.G.S will forever have my heart. I want to make a difference in this world. Before I can take on the world I must start in my very own community.
"Every girl deserves the chance to reach her fullest potential, no matter what her circumstances are, or what neighborhood she is from.
She deserves to spread her wings and fly."
"We help our girls fly right, because we are the last step"
