Meaningful Connections Start with a Conversation: Speed Mentoring at Advanced Learning Academy

What does it take to make a difference in a young person's life? At Advanced Learning Academy, it can start with a simple conversation.

During the school's recent Speed Mentoring event, tenth-grade students sat down with community professionals to share their interests, ask questions, and explore the possibility of building a lasting mentorship relationship.

The format is simple: each student meets three potential mentors, while each mentor meets nine students. Afterward, both students and mentors share their preferences through a survey, helping the school identify matches that feel right for everyone.

“Our mentorship program is meant to help students make the big decisions in their life around college, career, and beyond,” explained Michael Gutierrez,

Partnership Coordinator at Advanced Learning Academy. “The best mentor is just an adult who's gone through those same kind of decisions in their lifetime.”

For returning mentor Rosalita Gonzalez, a Licensed Professional Counselor with Pursuit of Happiness, the experience has become something she looks forward to.

“I have a passion for helping others and for inspiring others,” Gonzalez shared. After mentoring two students last year, she enjoyed the experience so much that she returned for a second year—and brought her husband along.

New mentor Jose Perez, a political science professor at Texas A&M University–San Antonio, was similarly enthusiastic. Having benefited from mentors during his own high school and college years, he saw the program as an opportunity to give back.

What surprised him most was how prepared the students were.

“The students were very, very engaged, and they had a very high level of professionalism,” Perez said. “They had very good questions, and they were very enthusiastic about thinking through their future and their careers.”

For the students, those conversations offered more than professional advice.

Sophomore Brandon Garces experimented with different approaches to getting to know each mentor, sometimes asking about their experiences and other times sharing his own interests and goals.

“I felt like it was a good amount of time still, and like a good connection with each of them,” Brandon said.

Fellow tenth grader Tilly Zertuche admitted she was nervous at first, but quickly discovered how welcoming the experience could be.

“It felt really nice to be asked questions and [have someone] be interested,” she shared, describing how she and the mentors connected through conversations about their backgrounds and interests.

At CAST Schools, mentorship is about more than providing students with answers. It's about creating relationships where young people feel heard, explore possibilities, and gain confidence in making decisions about their futures. And for mentors, it's an opportunity to share the value of their own experiences while building meaningful connections with the next generation.

You don't need to have all the answers to be a great mentor. Sometimes, being willing to listen, share your story, and show up for a student is where the impact begins.

Interested in getting involved? Advanced Learning Academy welcomes community professionals to serve as mentors for tenth-grade students, supervise senior internships, or host career exploration experiences. Contact Michael Gutierrez, Partnership Coordinator for Advanced Learning Academy, at mgutierrez19@saisd.net to learn more and get involved.

For general information about becoming a mentor at any of our CAST Schools campuses, visit https://castschools.com/mentor-at-cast-schools/.