Mentoring Matters: Matt and mentee make meaningful moments & memories

Matt and his mentee pose together in front of the basketball court at the TD Garden, both wearing Celtics gear.

In celebration of National Mentoring Month, here is the story of one of our current matches. This post is written by their match specialist, Emma.

Matt is one of the best mentors I have had the pleasure of working with. He is mentoring a 16-year-old named Jaden who happens to be a close neighbor of his! The two of them always have a great time together, whether it be a new adventure or watching movies at home. Matt deeply empathizes with his mentee and is passionate about supporting him. He is incredibly understanding and never gets disappointed when challenges arise. He always assumes and inspires the best in his mentee. I’ve heard from his mentee’s family that they’ve noticed a huge change and they have seen him really grow in this relationship. His mentee’s mother always describes Matt as “a keeper”! I observe that he not only mentors his mentee but provides support to the entire family.

Matt and his mentee take a selfie while apple picking, both with apples in their mouths.He truly goes above and beyond in every aspect of mentoring. Our program requires matches to meet in person 4-6 hours per month and to maintain weekly contact; Matt checks in with me every time he gets together with his mentee and they spend hours and hours together, sometimes multiple days in a row. I can hardly keep up! To name just a few outings, Matt joined Jaden at his Sweet Sixteen, took him apple picking, ice skating, and to a Celtics game. They just set up a routine of weekly dinners with the whole family, too. And of course, they never forget to snap a selfie! Though they had a solid connection from the start, this mentoring relationship only becomes stronger and more exciting over time.

Matt is a pleasure to work with even outside of his mentoring relationship. Matt has offered his time and resources to other mentors to be supportive of their challenges and is also a mentor who actively supports me in being a better mentoring specialist. When he finds himself in a new situation as a mentor, he always lets me know what resources might have been useful to him, in case other mentors also go through the same. He also cheers me up regularly with pictures, stories, and updates on how he and Jaden are doing. It’s clear to me that Matt is deeply invested in his relationship with his mentee, and that he puts his everything into his commitments. I cannot speak highly enough of Matt, and anyone would be lucky to have him as a mentor!

Comments (2)

  1. Ruth wilson
    Ruth wilson
    5 years ago

    So proud of the man you’ve become Matt! I had no doubt!

  2. Robin Hanington
    Robin Hanington
    5 years ago

    Congrats Matt! Not surprised! He has always been a kind boy!