Guanajuato, Gto., October 26, 2016.- The term "Mentor" comes from the Greek literature; of Méntor, the councilor of Telémaco, son of Ulises in the "Odyssey". By extension, today the concept refers to a person with great experience or knowledge who guides or advices another. And, to sum, this is what the Mentors project is about: guide or accompany children in elementary school to continue their school education.

After two years of starting this project, closing its fourth edition, the model begins to consolidate and be notorious of its growth. This is what the coordinator tells us: Jessica Duran Rojas (Industrial Relationships, 6th Term); Christian Pérez Gutiérrez (Industrial Relationships, 6th Term); Regina Mercado Calderón (Law, 4th Term) and Karla Yadira Romero Sandoval (graduate from the degree in Education).

Mentors, or how to change histories

The work model –says Jessica Duran, project's general coordinator—is inspired in the book "How to change histories", of the economists Armando Chacón and Pablo Peña, who identify three opportunity areas for the education in Mexico: the lack of examples to follow, the lack of talent detection and the lack of financing.

Hence "Mentors" has proposed to answer these needs, creating spaces where the children, besides coexisting, know diverse professional profiles and education, can develop their talent and this can be detected and supported at an early stage.

Karla Romero affirms that the objective of Mentors is not to be an extension of school, but a support so the formation of children is not interrupted due to lack of information or resources: "we seek to provide elements to the parents so they encourage the aptitudes of their children. It is for the children (Mentors), but above all is to nurture the environment where the children develop."

Growth and consolidation of the project

Christian Pérez comments that in this fourth edition of Mentors there were many changes: the duration of the workshops extended to six weeks (from September 19 to October 28), when previously there were only four. It was included groups on Saturdays, in addition of the courses within the week.

Additionally, thanks that in this edition participated mentors from several majors –Civil Engineering, Architecture, Education, Industrial Relationships, etc.—also professors, administrators and external people to the University of Guanajuato (UG), topics in nutrition and health, history, arts and literature, science and technology, environment, among others were addressed.

The growth of the group was clear, since the project began with 30 people and now is close to 180, between children, mentors and the organizing team.

Another of the achievements of this semester is that Mentors obtained the first place in the category of Social Project in the 11th Contest of Creativity and Innovation of UG, which reveals the solidity of the project: "It was the first time that we participated and it was a surprise because we never had exposed the project in a competitive level, it means, before judges; now we know that our trajectory backs us", says Jessica Duran.

The future

The goals for the next semester are several: "make a pilot in another city, since we seek the standardization of the project so it can be measurable, stable and replicable in other places"; obtain new sponsors to support children; prepare new Mentors for the project may continue: "We seek that as we found ourselves a growth in Mentors, to become a development platform for others.

Finishing this edition of Mentors UG, these fourth young college students have a clear idea that a new era is forging for their project, but are decided to walk steady towards their professional life, without putting aside their social calling.