From the Connecticut Post

STRATFORD — Carrie Potter, a 16-year-old Stratford High School junior, logged onto a school computer last week trying to map out her career plans with advice from a college student she's never met.

And Duane Black, a 20-year-old freshman studying to become an X-ray technician at St. Vincent's College in Bridgeport, used his computer at the college to respond to Potter's questions about growing medical fields, such as radiographic technology and related specialties.

Potter is among 120 students at Stratford and Bunnell high schools, and Black is one of 28 students at St. Vincent's taking part in a pilot program that makes it possible for high school students and their college mentors to communicate via the Internet.

The E-Mentoring program that began a few weeks ago is the latest way the Internet serves as a tool to save time.

It helps busy high school teens get advice from college volunteer mentors who would otherwise not have the time because of rigorous academic and clinical rotation schedules, both high school and college officials said. "I've never met, or even talked to Duane, but he's given me great advice and information about the medical fields I may want to pursue, and which types of colleges I should consider," Potter said as she formulated more questions to her college mentor among about 20 students in the career counseling class.

Potter said after messaging back and forth a few times, Black advised her to consider attending a four-year college because it would offer a wider range of choices for someone who hasn't decided yet which major to pursue.

"He said he loves St. Vincent's, but it's a two-year college that may not be ideal for me," Potter said. "He has also helped me to understand what the demands are like in college and what it takes to succeed."

Black, a West Hartford resident who commutes to the college, said he loves being a mentor, but that it would not be possible without the Internet.

"This is a field I'm very excited about, and it's a good feeling to share that with a high school student who has similar interests," Black said. "I started out wanting to become a nurse, but found radiography was my true path. I think Carrie is still leaving her options open and I've been trying to share my own experiences and provide information to help guide her."

Many students and tutors said the program works well because their generation is so comfortable communicating on the Internet.

"We grew up on computers and while it may not be as personal as meeting with the students, it's probably the only way most of the mentors and students could do it." said 26-year-old John Cybart of Shelton, also a freshman majoring in radiological technology at St. Vincent's, a school that offers instruction in a range of medical specialties.

Cybart, the son of Stratford Fire Chief John Cybart, said he left a career in electronics to become an X-ray technician because he believes the expanding medical fields offer a better and more secure future.

"Those are the kinds of things I've been sharing as a mentor," Cybart said. "I wanted to do this because it was very scary to me to just leave everything I knew and go into uncharted territory, and I understand the kind of apprehension high school students are facing. I received so much help from students and faculty at the college I wanted give something back to the community." Cybart said he was also influenced by a sister who graduated a few years ago from St. Vincent's, and is now an operating room nurse.

Tameka Harper, a 16-year-old junior at Stratford High who wants to be a nurse, said the program has provided a major boost.

"I know I want to be a nurse, but sometimes I have doubts that I can do it because it would be too hard." Harper said. "But my mentor has reassured me that if I am very determined and study hard I can do it, and that has meant a lot to me."

Harper said she's "very comfortable" messaging via computer with her mentor, a female nursing student at St. Vincent's, and the connection has made her more comfortable about pursuing a nursing career.

"It's great to be getting this kind of advice from someone going through it in college right now," she said.

That's the whole idea behind the program, said Dianne Christiano, Stratford's coordinator for career and technology education.

"Mentoring is a really important component of education," Christiano said, adding that the mentors help high school students zero in on specific medical careers, providing them with details about the job responsibilities, educational requirements, grade qualifications, time commitment "and the realities of the work — its challenges and rewards.

"They also don't have to travel to a site to meet with high school students and then travel back. The mentors can answer the e-mails whenever it's convenient, whether they are night owls or morning persons," she said.

The program, developed with a $5,000 grant from Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to the Stratford public schools, is an extension of an existing partnership between St. Vincent's College and the school system.

Medical professionals from the college are also providing input in Stratford's Health and Medical Careers Pathway, an initiative launched three years ago to introduce students to career opportunities in the health and medical industry.

Christiano, however, said other colleges will provide mentors for students interested in other career fields.

Educators said mentors are important because they provide students with realistic expectations based on personal experience.

"People think the curriculum is easier than it actually is. Students don't always know what they're getting into when they study to be a nurse or a radiographer or a medical assistant or a medical coder," said Gayle Barrett, coordinator of student development for St. Vincent's College.

"If students in high school have a better idea ahead of time they can learn if it is a good fit and a good career path for them," Barrett said. "This is a great way for them to really test the waters before they actually pursue it on a collegiate level because it is challenging and it's definitely not for everyone. But we want to provide the information for those who want to pursue medical fields."

The 12-week program, which uses secure, monitored software to protect the safety of participants, runs through May. Both Barrett and Christiano said they hope to expand the program next year.