Prompt: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (200-300 words)
A Mentor's Mentor.
"Jim's here!" shout the twenty fourth-grade students as I walk through the classroom door.
It is a Wednesday afternoon, 4:45 to be exact, and I am just arriving at my parish's elementary school, ready to spend the next ninety minutes discussing the Catholic faith and preparing the young students for the sacraments they are yet to receive. Though I find the class to be rewarding and a community in its own way, there is a significant ideological gap between the students and I that prevents any deeper connection from forming. The community to which I truly belong is one that extends beyond the confines of weekly prayer and discussion: the teen leaders.
As teen leaders, we are tasked with providing a communicative link between the students and teachers within each lesson, as well as speaking freely about our own beliefs when called upon. The core of our camaraderie, however, lies in the discussions we have after the students have left.
With all of us coming from a variety of backgrounds and school settings, our conversations provide a unique opportunity for each of us to express beliefs, or lack thereof, without the consequence of judgement. Identifying as a Catholic today, especially throughout adolescence, can be difficult. Teenage years are a time of self-discovery, and affirming one's beliefs oftentimes proves itself to be the most difficult obstacle to surmount.
As for my place within this tight-knit group, I am a mentor to the mentors. Now a senior, I have been through it all, experienced the same doubts, struggles, and inner torment as our youngest members. It a personal undertaking of mine to offer guidance, not in an attempt to force my own beliefs upon them, but to help them find theirs.
Jo, you mentioned towards the end that you are a mentors mentor. What exactly does that mean? To those of us not familiar with the workings of the Catholic church, we will now know what you are talking about. You should never work on the assumption that you are going to be talking to a fellow Catholic who is familiar with the terms you are using and how the system of the church works. Explain it some more to those unfamiliar to the topic. After all, that is the main answer to the prompt. That is your main position in the community so you should explain how that role affects you, what the expectations of you are, and how you function to your fullest in that capacity :-) Remember, not everyone is religious so giving a detailed explanation can help you better connect with the reader or reviewer.
