Mentor Focus on Kyle Dahlem

Update: In July 2015, Kyle Dahlem was listed for five years of Power Hour reading/mentoring program at FaithWorks of the Inner City. We are so proud of Kyle! Although she has many important accomplishments in her work and leadership at the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education and The DaVinci Institute as well as other community service, we believe her one-to-one mentoring makes her ripple perpetual and ever-widening.

7-19-15

Kyle Dahlem

Thanks to Kyle Dahlem for sharing her ongoing mentoring story.

Kyle is a trustee of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. Spending forty-two years in education, she retired as Vice Chancellor for Administration from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE). Kyle and her husband John have been married for 50+ years.

Kyle’s Mentoring at FaithWorks, Oklahoma City

Three years ago, I heard Sally Goins, Executive Director of Faithworks of the Inner City (www.faithworksokc.org), tell of her work with students at Shidler Elementary School in Oklahoma City, one of the poorest areas in, not just Oklahoma City but , all of Oklahoma.

Sally, a retired Edmond school teacher, was so inspiring as she told her story of volunteering years before at the Jesus House, which led to her mission of serving students far from her home, that I was moved to respond.

I joined her volunteers over two years ago and was assigned to mentor Joanna. Oh, how I have come to love that child.  Every Thursday during the school year, I meet with her to read and do homework.  I have visited her home and met her loving parents.  From second, third and fourth grade, Joanna and I have worked together.

During the summer, I take Joanna and her two sisters to the library every week to read.  I have been blessed to have had this opportunity to add this special child and her family to my life.

Joanna is a bright 10-year-old.  She isn’t reading up to grade level yet, but it won’t be long.  Speaking two languages, she is smart enough to know that education is very important to her future.

I love Joanna and the opportunity to mentor a leader in the 21st Century.

Kyle Dahlem
Executive Director, DaVinci Institute
www.davinciok.org
Email 5-22-12

Successful mentors, coming from every background, have diverse interests and experiences. Whether a mentor can understand fourth grade math or not is irrelevant. Spending time with, being a friend to, and listening to a child really matter. Share your mentor stories.