My
name is Geormon A. Elder and I have been in the mentor
program for almost a year. I moved here to Atlanta,
GA in September of 1995. I had no trouble finding friends,
but I also found no problem finding trouble. I was constantly
arguing with teachers, fighting with my piers, and getting
suspended. I was on the verge of being expelled from
school. I did not care though. My mother tried to help
me. My teachers tried to reason with me. I was a lost
cause. Depression took over me and this was evident
in all aspects of my life.
Desperate for a solution to my behavior, my mother
signed me up for the Mentor Program. When I first heard
that I was signed up for the Mentor Program I thought,
“I bet I can make him cry. He’s just in
this to make himself feel good.” I was wrong.
The instant I met Mr. Rick Bagley, he carried himself
like a man. He had the look of a leader. He spoke with
intelligence and wit. He got me a bank account within
the first ten minutes that I had known him. Things I
had been trying to do for months, he did for me within
the first few minutes of meeting him. He got me a job
as well as self respect.
He turned my life around and he’s helping to
guide me in the right direction to accomplish great
things in life. He is a special breed of man and he
is one of many. There are a lot of people in GA schools
that are a lot worse off than I was. A mentor can help
to change that. That one person can help to give young
people something to strive for. My mentor is like a
father to me and I’m going to achieve great things
in life because of him.
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