@BudFrank

Since 2006, I have been a volunteer college mentor at the high school. I help first generation (children of immigrants), low income students apply for college and scholarships. Often they are the first person in their family to graduate from high school and go to college.

They all struggle writing in English, since English is their second language. I'm good at teaching them writing skills, and how to sell themselves to scholarship committees.

One of my best success stories is Brenda, who won $295, 433 in scholarships and grants in 2016. A senior at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Brenda is becoming a medical doctor and pathologist. She wants to cure diseases.

"I am a beacon of hope in my neighborhood," Teresa said in 2014. "My younger siblings and neighbor kids look up to me. I am inspiring them to stay in school, study hard, not get pregnant, not join gangs, not drop out and go to college."

Teresa and her brother, both accountants, recently bought their parents their first house.

It is an honor to work with these kids. They are remarkable young people. Being a college mentor is the most rewarding volunteer work I have ever done.

Photo: In June 2018, I took three young women I previously mentored on a hike in Icicle Gorge.

From left: Tammy, a Vietnamese immigrant, is studying to be a neurosurgeon at the Univ. of Washington. Me. Elisabet, a Mexican immigrant, is becoming a pediatrician. Teresa, a Mexican immigrant, is an accountant and Latinx community leader.

@LiterateHiker you are amazing

@BudFrank

"Just the facts, ma'am," is their initial approach to writing a personal essay. Uninspiring. Unfortunately, the high school teaches students to write run-on sentences, calling it "compound sentences."

I'm the Queen of deleting needless words.

"You need to touch the hearts of people in the scholarship committee," I say. "Include your feelings." This is hard for high school students.

I teach them to write from the heart. To start, I interview the student, taking notes and writing direct quotes. Draw them out.

Sometimes a subject is too painful for the student. "Let's work on an easier essay first," I said, handing the girl a tissue. "We'll come back to this later." Her grandmother had just died. The question was "Who inspired you the most?"

At first, Daniela thought she was a lousy writer. Then she began keeping a daily journal, required by her college English class.

Now creative writing is one of her strengths. I send Danela home to sleep on it. A few days later, she shows up with a wonderful draft essay.

@Bitflipper

Thank you.

@RoyMillar

Thank you.

Daniela is a remarkable, responsible young woman. I feel honored to work with her.

@LiterateHiker This says much about you.