The other day I was reminiscing with an old friend about high school, and we started talking about which were our favourite and least favourite teachers. It had been a while, but that conversation reminded me of my old English Lit teacher, Mr. Z. He was an older guy with grown kids of his own who enjoyed reading Chaucer out loud in Old English and sneaking cigarettes behind the portables after school. Mr. Z was one of those teachers who loved teaching and genuinely liked kids, even us snotty teenagers, and he made English literature interesting.
Around then, I was going through a hard time at home and missing a lot of classes. I didn’t tell anybody at the time, but I was seriously considering dropping out of high school. Mr. Z noticed that things weren’t right, and over a few cigarettes after class he convinced me to talk. He made arrangements with the school administration to provide me with bus fare to help me get to school, and he convinced me to keep coming, even if I didn’t make it every day. He was the reason I finished high school, and it was his support that encouraged me to apply for university and scholarships. We lost touch after high school, but I still think about him every once in a while.
Many of us have had mentors like Mr. Z who made a difference in our lives, but not everyone is so lucky. Having reaped the benefit of more than one mentor in my life, I know firsthand how valuable positive role models can be.
This February, Boston Pizza is celebrating their annual Valentine’s Day campaign in support of mentorship for kids, so they extended an invitation to my girls and me to have a conversation about the importance of mentorship over some heart-shaped pizza.
All month long, Boston Pizza will be raising awareness and donations for the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects which works to connect kids in need with positive role models in their communities. $1 from every pizza sold on February 14th this year will go to support the Boston Pizza Foundation’s work.
We visited our local Boston Pizza and ordered one of their signature pizzas for dinner. Of course, both my girls were enchanted with the pizza’s heart shape. It took a little convincing before they were willing to have me serve slices!
Spicy perogie pizza – my favourite!
While we enjoyed our meal, I started to talk about mentors. The very first thing Kay said was, “No, don’t want a Dementor!” (We are a Harry Potter family, after all!) So then followed an explanation of what a mentor is: not a scary flying monster in a black robe, but someone we learn from and look up to. Once they understood, Tee said, “Oh, I have a mentor! My teacher Ms. Andrea teaches me and helps me be really good! And you too! You’re my mentor too.” They get it!
Tee and Kay both attend Montessori programs. In Montessori schools, kids are grouped into three year classes instead of individual grades like mainstream schools. This means all the 3 to 5-year-olds are in one class, as are the 6 to 8-year-olds, 9 to 11-year-olds, and so on. This unique arrangement creates a built-in mentorship relationship between older and younger students. My kids have learned so much from the older students in their classes who help teach and guide them. Now that they know the term, they’re both excited to become mentors too when they’re the oldest in their class.
We finished our enlightening meal with a decadent dessert: this Future Prospects dessert with red velvet cake, cheesecake mousse, berry sauce, whipped cream, and a white chocolate coin. It’s not just a tasty treat though. $1 from every dessert sold goes to Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects.
Mentors come in many forms: parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, bosses, even Jedi masters! Most of us had a mentor at some point in our lives, but 1 in 3 Canadian kids don’t get enough time with a positive role model, and that’s why we support the Boston Pizza Foundation.
For over 25 years, the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects has been dedicated to connecting kids in need to role models in their own communities so they have the guidance, mentorship, and support necessary to reach their full potential. Boston Pizza provides more than 200,000 hours of mentorship every year, and they’ve provided more than $24 million in donations to date for charity partners like Big Brothers Big Sisters, JDRF, Kids Help Phone, The Rick Hansen Foundation, and Live Different.
How You Can Help
This month you can help kids in 3 different ways!
- Purchase any pizza on February 14th and $1 will go to the Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects.
- Order a Future Prospects dessert and $1 will be donated to the Foundation.
- Or give directly by donating $2 for a paper heart. Not only will your heart cut-out help the Foundation and honour your mentor, but you’ll also get $5 off your next meal at Boston Pizza!
Boston Pizza is a fantastic place to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year! Enjoy a dinner out with good food and friendly people, and help connect kids in your community with positive role models who will help them succeed.
Our friendly server, Nicole
Learn more and connect with the Boston Pizza Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Did you have a mentor? What difference did it make in your life?
Win a $50 Boston Pizza Gift Card!
Boston Pizza wants to help one of my readers treat their mentor to a special meal out with a $50 Boston Pizza gift card. This giveaway is open to residents of Canada only, 18+. Enter in the giveaway widget below. All the winner’s entries will be verified.
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation. Nevertheless, all opinions expressed are completely honest and my own, based on my personal experience. Your experience may differ.
I run a club in the school where I work for and I think encouraging kids to explore their abilities is a good thing.
I had a landlord that was a mentor to me, she ended up being like a mom to me after mine passed away when I was 28, we became very good friends and she guided me through life, she would be 75 this year but she passed away a few months ago, very dear lady she taught me a lot about life
I think it is very important to have a mentor. With out one children have a tendency to loose their way in life.
So much wisdom comes out of experience (even at an early age) and our instant gratification world/environment these days threatens that. Having someone to observe and learn from as well as ask questions of, is invaluable. Worth so much more than any formal education or piece of paper can ever give you.
I had a teacher who was a mentor when I was a teen – it made an impact as it really encouraged me to want to do as well as possible in school!
I have never had a mentor but I do think it is important too have one. I think having a mentor will give children much needed self respect and respect for others. A mentor will teach you important life lessons and knowledge that will help you all your life.
I don’t recall having a special mentor in my life when I was growing up but I did volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters for a while I learned first hand the difference a mentor can make in the life of a child.
My mentor is my mother, but truthfully not when I was younger we had a bad time and I left home when I was 17 but overcame my stupidness and my mother and I started to talk again, and then after my dad passed away we got even closer and today she is my best friend!!
My Mentor was my Dad, He showed me so much, From wood working to Hunting and Fishing.
I never really had a mentor but I believe they are very valuable and important to have in your life from a young age all the way through your schooling
My mom is my mentor
I’ve never had a mentor, but I believe it’s important to establish confidence. Also, not everything can be learned from a book
I never had a mentor, but I would love to get one one day. Thinking of it I would love to have one right now as I’m trying to learn more about 2 unfamiliar to me areas. It would sure speed up the learning process…
my 6th grade teacher who helped me allot
I had a teacher whom I considered to be a mentor. He taught me a lot.
Everyone needs someone to look up too, my dad has always been my hero ….
When I was young we always did brownies , girl gives and pathfinders , they were so great ! Wish you seen more of that still !
My mom is my mentor because she taught me to never give up and always work hard to achieve your dreams!
this may be because i’m pregnant and hormonal but thinking about answering this question makes my eyes water! My mentor and inspiration growing up was my grandpa. He was the kindest, gentlest, and funniest man I know and he was always there for us growing up. Every time they visited they brought a dozen tim hortons donuts haha. He walked across Canada raising money and awareness for Canadian food grains bank at the age of 69, yup, I said walked. He had a heart attack and they told him for rehab he needed to walk more so he did, and then he decided to turn it into a way of helping others. We lost him ten years ago now but he will always be my mentor and one of my most favourite people. SORRY! long post for a giveaway comment haha blame those hormones I just felt like sharing 🙂 happy day every one.
I have had mentors in my aunts, teachers and counsellors. And I have mentored my cousins and high school students that attended the high school where I worked. Mentorship is so important, especially in youth.
I cannot say that I have had a mentor
I had a great mentor on my first job. We are still in touch to this day.
My grade 5 teacher was a mentor to me. He was so encouraging with poetry, writing, & speaking skills which made a huge difference in my life. To this day I always enjoy writing & have passed those traits he taught me down to my daughter who is now top of her language arts class.
my uncle was my mentor. He taught me how to play sports, to try new things and put effort into everything I do.
Yes I had a mentor growing up. Such a great thing having a mentor is! I learned and grew so much!
The woman I babysat for when I was a teenager. We became friends and still are to this day even though we live 4000 miles away. I think having a mentor is important.
My mom is my mentor! She taught me so many things and she continues to inspire me everyday.
Mentoring is important because of the knowledge and skills you can learn from mentors.
I was placed in an advanced class (many years ago!) which combined grades 4, 5 and 6 credits into a two year program. I was having a little bit of a tough time keeping up with the History portion. The teacher helped me by teaching me and spending time reinforcing study tips/tricks that enabled me to retain the information that I needed and discard the rest. Habits that were immensely beneficial throughout all of my education. I have since been able to help our children by passing this wisdom on to them.
I have had some great teachers; but none I would necessarily call a mentor.
I had a mentor for my first year of teaching and it was very beneficial. Having support guides you and reduces stress.
I owe my success to my parents who encourage, support me to be my best.
I had a wonderful teacher in grade 8 who was kind with me and really made me want to learn. He was the sweetest man. When I just didn’t understand or want to understand, he sat and figured it out with me.
A mentor is important to show through example how your dreams and aspirations can be accomplished.
a friend turned out to be a wonderful mentor and it has made such a difference in life. thanks
Of the top of my head, I can’t think of anyone who I could consider to be a mentor in my life.
The only mentor I have had would be my husband.He has always encouraged me to try anything that I have an interest in and has always been there to cheer me on.These are the reasons that |I think mentorship is important.
Just my mom and dad
I have never had a formal mentor, however I have a had a few people in my life that I really have learned a lot from. I think mentorship is really important and people should pass on their knowledge to new staff/ up and comers.
I haven’t had a mentor in my life, but my mother (and my father to a lesser extent) did teach me life values. When I was growing up (in the ’60s and in a small town), mentoring wasn’t something that we heard about. In fact, we didn’t even have Big Brothers, Big Sisters in our town.
Mentorship can be very important in a child’s life. Having someone that can help guide you and give you advice can be invaluable. Thanks for this.
I have never had a mentor but think it is a wonderful aid for many people, personally and professionally.
My grade five teacher helped me to overcome my shyness, by getting me to stand up, in front of the class and read speeches.
My first boss was a mentor to me. I had worked 2 days and wanted to quit, this person sat me down and assured me that everything would be ok.
I had a mentor in high school, a teacher. She made me feel like every dream was a possibility and that I was capable of anything.
I have not had a mentor, but my daughter has and it has helped with her career.
I had a mentor at my first job, she was very warm, patient, positive and very helpful. She encouraged me to learn all the aspects of the job and went above and beyond in her friendship.
I had a mentor when I was in university. She gave me tips on how to succeed in the classes that were important, and insight on what a career like hers entails.
I have never had a mentor as such, but whenever I felt things were tough, I would think about my immigrant grandmother who came to Canada — a young woman with a young boy – my Dad, in tow, to meet up with a husband they had not seen for almost nine years (my Dad was just over 9 1/2 years old when they made this journey.) Nothing could have been as scary as leaving your family, your home and everything you knew, to go across pre-war Europe (it was late fall 1938), get on a boat and go across to an unknown land (then travel half way across that country, arriving in a small prairie town mid-December) — all with a little boy, a couple suitcases and the hope your husband would be at the train station to meet you….
My mom is my mentor. She is always there whenever any of us kids need her and I strive to be like her everyday