How did you find out about Bold Idea?

During my freshman year of college, I attended a Bold Idea seminar hosted by Lorene Sugars, where she discussed the organization’s mission and the impact it has made on its community. I was amazed to know that Bold Idea worked with the middle school I went to back in Oak Cliff! I wished I had those resources and guidance when I attended Rosemont Upper Middle School, and I knew in that moment that I had to give back to my community when I found the opportunity in doing so. 

2.) Why did you sign up to be a mentor?

I am a Computer Science senior with a minor in Non-Profit Leadership Studies. Since the beginning of college, I knew I wanted to do something rewarding with my career path. I wanted to give mentoring a try through Bold Idea as it connected two of my concentrations, knowledge in computer science and non-profit organizations, and applied it to my own community in Dallas. After my first virtual session with two middle school students in 2021, I fell in love with the mentorship aspect of the program, and it made me realize that teaching/mentoring was a passion that I never knew about until I gave Bold Idea a try. Now, after more than a year of volunteering with Bold Idea, I have changed my career trajectory towards teaching computer science in the near future, and I am now a 2023 Corps Member for Teach For America! If it weren’t for my experience with Bold Idea, I would not be where I am right now, I am truly thankful for the experience and leadership skills I have gained through this organization.

3.) What is your favorite part of being a Bold Idea mentor?

My favorite part of being a Bold Idea mentor is the bond that can be created with the students and the impact that can be made through the guidance provided to the students. Although I only see my students for two hours every week, a lot of material is covered for their chosen introductory course, such as website design or game development. And when they follow along with the lessons or seek your assistance in a concept they are stuck on, it is truly a rewarding experience to help them understand the world of computer science and technology. You get to connect with these students at a deeper level and allow them to feel comfortable with the material through the mentorship that Bold Idea has created. 

4.) What impact have you noticed coding clubs have had on the students in our program?

Many of these students come from schools that do not offer technological courses or computer science resources for them to know if they’d be interested in that field. Through Bold Idea’s after-school program, kids are offered the opportunity to learn coding and website design while an industry professional assists them through the entire process, if needed. Because of this, the biggest impact I’ve seen Bold Idea have on their students is the growing passion towards computer science – they’re eager to code, design, and create something on their own that they couldn’t do before joining Bold Idea’s classes. And since Bold Idea makes it so easy for them to start coding without previous knowledge, they continue to come back and enhance their skillsets even more!

5.) Why should other people sign up to mentor Bold Idea students?

Bold Idea makes it easy for individuals to volunteer through various after-school clubs, both in-person and virtually! Most clubs are also within the two-hour range every week, allowing their volunteers to properly fit the organization within their busy schedule. If you are interested in helping kids achieve their fullest potential, Bold Idea is the right fit for you. And if you have little to no knowledge with coding, Bold Idea gives you enough resources to catch up with the students and assist then whenever it is needed! 

6.) Is there anything else you'd like to share about your experience as a Bold Idea mentor?

Funny enough, I had no experience in developing websites as my main focus in college was C++. Before I started my first session with my students, I went through the guide that I would be helping them with, taking the course on my own, and learning HTML and CSS. I did not realize it was such a great experience to develop websites, that I was even more eager to help my students even more! So, to anyone who is interested in volunteering but is afraid they won’t be able to be a big help to these students, do not worry! Volunteering for this organization has not been difficult at all – rather, it has been rewarding and even beneficial as a volunteer.