Celebrating Our Mentors This National Mentoring Month 💛

At Summer Search, National Mentoring Month is a time to pause, reflect, and shine a bright spotlight on the incredible people who make our work possible: our professional mentors.

Every day, our mentors show up with consistency, compassion, and a deep belief in the potential of young people. They build trust, create space for growth, and walk alongside students through pivotal moments with patience, care, and expertise.

Our mentors are the heart of our program. They help young people reflect on three essential questions: Who am I? Where am I going? And who can support me along the way? Mentoring at Summer Search is never one-size-fits-all. Through our Depth Mentoring approach, we recognize adolescence as a pivotal and vulnerable time—shaped by identity development, relationships, systems, and lived experience. Grounded in social and emotional learning, trauma-sensitive practices, and a commitment to critical consciousness, our mentors create spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow. They don’t just help students navigate decisions in the moment—they foster the self-awareness, resilience, and sense of agency students carry with them for life.

We are deeply grateful for our mentors—and our Summer Searchers agree. Here are just a few words of appreciation from the young people we serve:

Why our students are thankful for Summer Search mentors:

• “[My mentor] is someone I can talk to when I need advice—especially as I’m transitioning to college.”
• “[My mentor] gives me the space to talk about anything on my mind and helps me in the best way they can.”
• “[My mentor] has been there for me at my lowest and has been a true support system.”
• “[My mentor] is like an older sister—not afraid to tell me when I’ve messed up, and always there to help me grow.”
• “I love the motivation [my mentor] gives me to try new things.”

This month, we’re especially proud to recognize a group of mentors who were nominated by their peers for living out our core values and going above and beyond for young people—and for one another.

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Mentor Recognitions

Enrique Abreu-Ramos – High School Program Mentor | New York City
“Enrique delivers consistent, caring mentoring and builds deep relationships with humor and heart. He strengthens our team culture with his can-do attitude.”

Julia Barbano – Senior High School Mentor | Bay Area
“Julia is consistent, accountable, and deeply committed to helping students become their best selves.”

Angel Munguia – High School Mentor | Seattle
“Angel has a great relationship with students and strong rapport with staff. They consistently employ effective engagement strategies.”

Lesly Henriquez – High School Mentor | Bay Area
“Lesly jumped into Summer Search with grace and compassion. As an alum, it’s powerful to see her bring her lived experience into her role as a mentor.”

Ashley Hudson – High School Mentor | Boston
“Ashley’s growing confidence shines through her connections with students. As both an alum and a mentor, she exemplifies what Summer Search does best.”

Jillian Lacey – Former High School Mentor, current Program Operations Coordinator | Philadelphia
“Jillian is the steady force behind so much of our work—leading with consistency, care, and quiet excellence.”

Destynee Oakley – High School Mentor | New York City
“Destynee consistently demonstrates immense care and dedication to her students.”

Adriana Salse – Senior Post-Secondary Mentor | Boston
“Adriana is an exceptionally student-centered advocate, creating safe spaces where students feel seen and supported.”

To every Summer Search mentor—past and present—thank you. Thank you for showing up with care, consistency, and courage. Thank you for holding space, asking hard questions, celebrating growth, and walking alongside young people as they discover who they are and who they’re becoming. This National Mentoring Month, we honor you and the lasting impact you make every single day.