Highlighted Mentors

 Christopher Fernandes is a rising Senior at Cistercian Preparatory School. He enjoys traveling, a good conversation about any type of music, and meeting new people and getting to know them. He mentored with STAIRS during the 2019-20 school year and enjoyed working with his students in watching them grow and excel. In working with STAIRS, he gained an appreciation for teachers across the nation by seeing how impactful they are not only for their students' education but for their success. He's most thankful for the opportunity to bond and create a relationship with the students he mentored thanks to STAIRS.  He's not too sure about what he wants to do in the future, but he plans on attending college. One thing STAIRS helped him realize, however, is that wherever he does end up, he'd rather be serving, helping, and connecting with others instead of working at a cubicle crunching numbers.

  Mark is a senior at Cistercian Preparatory School. He enjoys being a part of the Swim Team and participating in math contests through Math Club. Outside of school, he has started rebuilding a 1964 MGB with his dad, which has become his favorite hobby. He also loves fly fishing and hiking in the mountains.  Over the course of the program, he not only became good friends with the students but also learned how to explain concepts better. He enjoyed watching them improve their skills over the months and helping them along the way. He also enjoyed connecting with students in the grades below him because he often forgets what it is like to be in their shoes.  He plans on studying as an engineer, but he would love to continue volunteering through various programs like STAIRS. He believes it to be very fun and rewarding work. STAIRS also opened him up to the idea of working at Mathnasium, which he might do down the road.