Guest Blog Post: Speaking the Same Language

By Rachelle Damminger, Director of Communications for Spark

Last fall I mentored Shanyyah, a quiet and thoughtful student in the Spark Philadelphia program.  One of the most challenging aspects of the apprenticeship was figuring out, as an adult, how to connect with a "tween."  Everything from the words I used to the activities I suggested seemed to require additional thought, at least in the beginning.  This self-inflicted stressor quickly dissipated as both Shanayyah and I relaxed and discovered some shared interests, including blogs, video production and photography. 

A year later, I was pleased to help Spark CEO Jason Cascarino and his Chicago-based mentee Isiah create a webpage as part of their Spark project (as mentioned in a previous post). In my first Google video conversation with Isiah, the same heightened awareness around language and connection quickly returned. With each topic we covered, I tried to carefully select my words and adapt my conversation speed so as not to breeze over terms like “content management system,” “CMS” and “thumbnails.”  By our second call, Isiah was in the swing of things with his own login credentials and images to resize and upload! 

Learning about a website content management system is probably not as exciting as a soccer game or a fashion show or a music video to a seventh or eighth grader, but it is a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how something we use daily – websites - work.  For me, this is part of the magic of both mentoring and communication.  The shared discovery process can instill a growing curiosity that may extend to mobile apps, video production, web design or the creative process.

I’ll never forget my first college advertising course when I learned about everything that goes into producing a television commercial.  Ever since that time I have been deconstructing public service announcements, print ads and more; thinking about the origins of a product’s brand; considering how a campaign concept was conceived; or trying to figure out which demographic prompted the need for a new app.  

I may be a little biased due to my profession, but in the end, so much of what we do and how we do it boils down to communication - including mentoring.

A recent study of mentoring relationships found that poor communication can lead to a failed mentorship while active listening, mutual respect and shared values are among the characteristics of successful mentoring relationships.

Luckily for mentors like me who may over think their initial approach with students, Spark pairs mentees and mentors based on common interests and preferences to create a solid foundation for successful mentoring relationships from the beginning.

This was evident for me as I worked with Shanyyah a year ago to create a video and blog, and it’s evident now as I work with Jason and Isiah.  I can’t wait to see their final project and hear how Isiah describes the process of creating a webpage!