Honors Mentor Connection

Learning through Mentorship 

• Professional Skill Building: Students will spend the first part of the year learning about professional skills in their chosen area and becoming acquainted with the literature of the profession. 
• Mentorship: Students will conduct informational interviews with experts in the field to nominate their mentor, the person with whom they will work for the rest of the school year. The student is expected to spend four to six hours per week under the guidance of the mentor.
• Professional Project: With guidance of their mentor, students will complete a professional-level project that has real-world application, including a professional digital portfolio for the public and community.

Honors Mentor Connection courses are the equivalent of two year-long advanced courses. The courses allow high school juniors and seniors to explore their goals for the future through advanced study under the guidance of a professional in one of the following fields:

• Art: Dance, writing, music, sculpture, design, photography, architecture, theater
• Medicine & Health: Any medical specialty, including nontraditional medicine
• Social & Behavioral Sciences: Law, psychology, economics, social work, community service, politics, business, or other areas
• Physical & Environmental Sciences: Astronomy, physics, thermodynamics, electronics, sensors, bioremediation, ecosystems management, environmental engineering, land resource management, pollution, or ecosystem impacts
• Chemistry & Life Science: Chemistry, energy and alternative fuels, material science, plant physiology, population genetics, general biochemistry, microbiology
• Engineering, Mathematics, & Computer Science: Aerospace, aerodynamics, electrical engineering, vehicle development, mechanical engineering, robotics, probability and statistics, databases, and computer engineering

The Science Mentorship Research Program (SciMent) is part of the Honors Mentor Connection and serves motivated students in grades 9 - 12 who love science.  Through this program, students engage in scientific research, mentoring and competition in the Intel Science and Engineering Fair.

The mission of SciMent is to reach young people with a tremendous scientific interest and to focus on the three core values of SciMent: Academic Excellence, Individual Experience, and Ethics in Science. 

Science Fair Participation

The Science Fair is one of the longest-running science competitions for high school students, combining most disciplines within science. In completing a project, students tie in the scientific method, writing, reading, public speaking, visual presentation, math, and many of the physical sciences, along with networking with peers and other professionals. Students who successfully complete a project will be ready for many of the rigors of college and the professional world beyond. They will show colleges their ability to work well beyond the school’s requirements, including organization skills and self-motivation. 

Intel Science Talent Search

Students in their senior year of high school may also choose to submit their work to the Intel Science Talent Search (previously known as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search). It is the highest competition for high school students and the greatest indicator of future scientific success. To date our program has had five completed applications, two of whom were named Semi-Finalists, an amazing accomplishment!