more" />more" />more" />
Explore Austin
  • Menu
    • Who We Are
    • Get Involved
      • Become a Board Member
      • Quest for the Summit
    • About Us
    • Our Explorers
    • Our Staff
    • Our Supporters
    • Our Mentors
    • Our Board
    • Press
    • Blog
    • Annual Report
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Trailblazer Campaign
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board
    • Our Mentors
    • Our Explorers
    • Our Supporters
  • Impact
    • Blog
    • Press
    • Annual Report
Explore Austin
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Mentor
    • Attend Quest for the Summit
    • Join Our Team
  • Ways To Give
    • Donate Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Summit Circle of Giving
    • Trailblazer Campaign

The First Explorer to Become a Mentor

Homepage Adventure The First Explorer to Become a Mentor

The First Explorer to Become a Mentor

ExploreAustinAdmin
August 14, 2018
Adventure, Leadership, Mentoring

Guillermo Flores joined Explore Austin as a member of the second class of Explorers in 2007. At that time, the Program was in its infancy, and for Guillermo, he had six years ahead of him. He had first become interested in the Explore Program after seeing his friends who were already in the Program become recognized by his teachers for their growing maturity and confidence.

Every month, Guillermo and his team of Mentors and fellow Explorers would gather for their Saturday Challenge, learning the ins and outs of outdoor adventure while forging bonds with each other. As his outdoor skill-set increased, his worldview expanded. One Saturday after the other, Guillermo learned that his Mentors lived a life he had never seen before. They had different jobs than the adults in his community, especially his parents; jobs he never thought to consider for himself. Guillermo began conversing with his Mentors and shaped his dream of a life that grew from his upbringing and expanded from his experiences as an Explorer. He dreamed of a life that included college, a stable job, and maintaining relationships with key Mentors.

“Most of our parents that have jobs work service jobs or construction. Explore Austin gives minority kids, just like me, the opportunity to take the blinders off the dream higher than what’s expected of them.”

This dream carried him through the Explore Austin Program and into college–a place he never thought he would be.

Today, Guillermo is currently finishing up his degree in Construction Science at Austin Community College while simultaneously working as a project manager for a local construction company, Joe Bland Construction. After originally working day and night shifts in the field, Guillermo realized through the model ship of his Mentors that there were other possibilities too. From there, Guillermo took the confidence his Mentors and Explore Austin helped him find and asked his supervisor to shift into office work so that he could begin to learn the skills to become a project manager. Not long after that, Guillermo was promoted.

“Never be scared of any challenges. Explore Austin challenges are different from life challenges but they help you find the inner confidence that you need to succeed in life.”

At the end of 2017, Guillermo was selected to be an Explore Austin Mentor, becoming the first Explorer to ever return as a Mentor. When asked why he applied to become a Mentor, he simply replied, “It is the ultimate way I can help prove the impact of the Explore Austin Program. My Explorers will see somebody who has made it through the program, benefited tremendously, and then know that they too can make it in life. It will really bring it home when they see someone who looks like them succeeding.”

Previous Story
Explore Austin Girls are a “Force of Nature”
Next Story
Mentor Matches

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Advertisement

#

Recent Posts

  • Explore Austin Empowers Youth Through Mentorship and Outdoor Adventure By: Korrin Bishop Friday, 20, Nov
  • A Message from the Explore Austin Board and CEO Wednesday, 3, Jun
  • The Bear That Turned Out To Be A Moose Thursday, 26, Mar
  • Opt to Act with Explore Austin & REI Monday, 25, Nov

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • November 2020
    • June 2020
    • March 2020
    • November 2019
    • August 2019
    • June 2019
    • April 2019
    • February 2019
    • August 2018
    • July 2018

    Categories

    • Adventure
    • Community
    • Leadership
    • Mentoring
    • Uncategorized

    Meta

    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    About Explore Austin

    [email protected]

    (512) 320-8899

    Helpful Info

    • Mentor Resources
    • Explorer & Parent Resources
    • Program Calendar
    • Donate
    • Contact
    • Join Explore Austin Email List

    explore_austin

    Mentors are those who tell you where to look, but Mentors are those who tell you where to look, but will never tell you what to see!  #mentor #explorer #outdoors #nature
    “We really do love those boys. It's just one of “We really do love those boys. It's just one of those things that you just build, and every year it's built on each other." - Steve DePizzo (one of our Alumni Mentors pictured middle blue shirt, sunglasses).  Steve believes the level of trust shared amongst his team is credited to Explore Austin's model around the significant amount of time teams spend together on Saturday Challenges and Summer Wilderness Trips and outside the program too.  This December give the gift of community. Let's continue building connection and community. Click on the link in our Bio to make a tax-deductible gift today! 🙏  #giving #mentor #explorer #community
    Leah Yanez a mentor with the 2022 #GirlsRule team, Leah Yanez a mentor with the 2022 #GirlsRule team, gives us an inside peek during a December volunteer activity!  "Our December Saturday challenges for @explore_austin are always unique because we get to volunteer at a local nonprofit of our choosing. It's usually a learning experience, but this year was even more special because one of our explorers planned it at Restoration Ranch. Sharon gave us a wonderful tour and introduce us to all the horses. What magical creatures."  Giving back to your community is a magical experience, help us continue to teach explorers what it means. Click on the link in our Bio to give a gift today! 🙏  #explore #austin #communityservice
    Shout out to the 2022 Boys Wolfpack! 👏👊 Las Shout out to the 2022 Boys Wolfpack! 👏👊  Last Saturday teams were doing community service by picking up trash at Walnut Creek. They discussed the importance of being stewards of our community and what that means for each of us as individuals, and how to pay it forward.  #explore #austin #communityservice
    Follow on Instagram
    This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
    There has been a problem with your Instagram Feed.
    Copyright ©2018 Explore Austin. All Rights Reserved. 2019 Tax Info
    SearchPostsLoginCart
    Friday, 20, Nov
    Explore Austin Empowers Youth Through Mentorship and Outdoor Adventure By: Korrin Bishop
    Wednesday, 3, Jun
    A Message from the Explore Austin Board and CEO
    Thursday, 26, Mar
    The Bear That Turned Out To Be A Moose
    Monday, 25, Nov
    Opt to Act with Explore Austin & REI
    Wednesday, 14, Aug
    Like, Why Do We Even Do This?
    Tuesday, 18, Jun
    Up Mt. Baldy and Along the Continental Divide Trail – One Explore Austin Alumni Mentor’s Journey to Self-Discovery

    Welcome back,