Sharing Our Love of Books Through Mentorship

At Morgan Lewis, mentorship is an essential component of the relationships we develop with our peers, including in the communities where we live and work. Our lawyers and professional staff have long served as mentors through Read Ahead, a nonprofit reading-based mentorship program that pairs elementary school students with adult volunteers to help develop the social-emotional skills essential for children’s academic and life-long success.

Volunteer opportunities, such as those offered through the firm’s collaboration with Read Ahead, provide chances for engagement to our lawyers and professional staff and help contribute to a more meaningful work experience. In celebration of National Book Month, a selection of our Read Ahead mentors share some of their stories of reading and mentorship.

Why did you choose to get involved with Read Ahead?

Patty Brennan is a finance partner at the firm and one of our longest-serving Read Ahead mentors, having been among the first to volunteer with the program.

When Morgan Lewis began to partner with Read Ahead more than 10 years ago, it was a natural fit for me. My mother was a reading specialist in the New York City school system in the South Bronx. She was a prolific reader, taught each of us to read, and supplied us with many book options. Growing up in the South Bronx, reading was a way to learn about the world.

A legal secretary at the firm, Glenda Campozano has served as a Read Ahead mentor for eight years. She recalls struggling with reading as a child and enjoys giving back through Read Ahead.

I decided to get in involved with Read Ahead so that I could inspire my mentees to love reading as much as I do. I have always loved to read. I am bilingual (my first language is Spanish) but learned to read English first. I was a bookworm in elementary school, and by the end of high school I had also learned to read in Spanish.

How have books improved your life?

Connie Mazella supports the firm’s business development goals as a senior manager. She enjoyed volunteering as book fair staff at her children’s schools and found Read Ahead to be a good next step.

Reading has helped me learn and experience different ways of life. It introduces me to many “people” who I’ve grown to like and whom it would be impossible to meet in real life—although I often wish I could! I’ve also traveled around the world through reading books.

Books have played a significant role in her life since Senior Information Technology Manager Antoinette Toro first learned how to read. Volunteering with Read Ahead allows her to share the joy of reading with mentees.

Reading has been instrumental in cultivating my imagination. This is particularly crucial for children today, when a lot of their stimulation is derived from electronic devices. Books have a unique way of captivating young minds, and this engagement fosters a different form of intellectual exercise.

What have you learned from your mentees or from mentoring?

Connie

One eye-opener for me has been the extra challenges that ESL (English as a second language) students face. It made me realize that while adults have this challenge, children do as well.

Glenda

My patience has improved, and I’ve learned how to use technology that is available to teach, practice, and assess reading skills.

How do you think your participation in Read Ahead has helped your mentees?

Patty

I have been very involved with Read Ahead for more than a decade. During that time, I have had the opportunity to mentor seven grade school children, including two for multiple years. I have seen my mentees expand their horizons and find self-esteem through reading.

One of my multiyear mentees served as a keynote speaker at the Read Ahead Gala one year after his graduation from fifth grade, where he delivered a powerful speech. At the celebration his parents told me that he had been the target of bullying and that the only day of the week they didn’t worry about him was when he met with his Read Ahead mentor.

The shy first grader I once knew was now a straight-A student at a competitive middle school and was hoping to become a scientist. During his address, he praised the Read Ahead program for getting him to where he was.

Antoinette

From my personal experience, I have come to realize that a consistent, positive influence in a child’s life can be equally impactful as helping them learn how to read. Being a mentor provides a broad range of opportunities. Ultimately, nothing brings me greater joy than receiving a smile from a child.