When mentee, Camila, and mentor, Judith, met for the first time, Camila had some reservations about what a mentoring partnership would entail.
“My first impression of Judith was [that she was] another adult I’d have to pretend with,” Camila said.
As they got to know each other, however, Camila discovered that having Judith as her mentor meant having a confidant and another adult in her life who she could trust.
“Now, I don’t shy away from anything. I can be myself and treat her as if she was a friend, not a stranger. She knows more than some of my closest friends now,” Camila said.
Having Judith in her corner has helped Camila blossom into the best, most confident version of herself.
“I’m proud of popping my bubble and trying new things,” Camila said. “I’ve discovered new hobbies, new interests and more things about myself.”
Judith has also helped guide Camila by offering her wisdom that she can carry with her for the rest of her life.
“She’s taught me that respect from other people comes from the respect you have for yourself. She’s made me grow in that area greatly. I’ll forever be grateful,” Camila said.
Their mentoring partnership has been just as transformative for Judith.
“The learning and growing is two-ways,” Judith said. “I’ve found that being a mentor has made me more patient and forced me to remember it’s not always about me and my plans. Being amenable to change can lead to wonderful, unexpected experiences and deeper connections.”
Learn more about Judith and Camila by checking out their story, Grace in Every Shared Moment, on pages 30-31 of the November 2025 edition of Greeley Lifestyle Magazine.
Mentor and Partners board member, Shauna, and mentee, Kat, first met when Kat was in middle school. They immediately felt like their personalities would made them a good mentoring partnership, as Shauna had the “sassiness” Kat wanted in a mentor.
“They did an awesome job pairing us. It’s impressive, really,” Shauna said.
Along with being a fun, sassy person to spend time with, Shauna became a steady, guiding presence in Kat’s life as she grew older and navigated life challenges.
Kat said her life was, “quite chaotic, sometimes from my own doing.” She ran away from home for a period of time when she was 14 years old. She struggled when school became virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ended up dropping out of high school.
Through her own determination, however, and with Shauna’s encouragement as her mentor and friend, Kat earned her GED, got her first apartment, and gained a certification through a phlebotomy program.
Not only has this mentoring partnership helped Kat achieve major life milestones, but Kat’s successes have also inspired Shauna.
“[Kat] doesn’t have the same privileges that others in the community have,” Shauna said. “She didn’t have the same parental financial assistance with school or housing that I had growing up…Without all of that privilege, [she’s] creating this life for [herself].”
Read more about Shauna and Kat in the article, How Partners, a Larimer County mentoring program, changed one woman’s life, by Madeline Novey.
Visit our blog page and search, “mentoring,” to learn more about other mentoring partnerships impacted and sustained by your donations.
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