Mentor Foundational Opportunities are designed to build core knowledge of mentoring for equity. Mentor Academy 101 and 201 are 12-hour trainings. Nakia Academy can be taken in place of Mentor Academy 101 by participants who identify as people of color. Participation in Mentor Academy 101 or Nakia Academy is the prerequisite for participation in any other BEST event.

Note: We’re unable to provide make-up sessions. Please enroll only if you’re able to participate in the full event.

Mentor Academy 101

Mentor Academy 101 exists to prepare educators as leaders to serve in mentoring and coaching roles. Mentor Academy is grounded in the pursuit of equitable outcomes for students in Washington state. Academy content invites participants to examine themselves (their identity and experience), their approach to building relationships with mentees, and the systems change advocacy essential to mentoring for equity. Academy content is grounded in the WA State Standards for Mentoring. These standards are centered in educational equity: the heart of mentoring. Academy content is supported by Elena Aguilar’s Coaching for Equity; all pre-registered participants will receive a copy of Coaching for Equity.

Topics include: Understanding identity, relationship building, confidentiality, conversation skills, mentor roles, observation and feedback.

Mentor Academy 201 

Mentor Academy 201 extends mentor learning from Mentor Academy 101 to build capacity to engage in conversations around racial equity, deepen awareness of equitable classroom practices, and refine mentoring skills. 201 content invites participants to examine themselves (their identity and implicit biases), their strategies for talking about race, and their roles as antiracist mentors, pursuing educational equity for all students in Washington state.  Academy content is grounded in the WA State Standards for Mentoring. These standards are centered in educational equity: the heart of mentoring. Participants who attend this event can now earn up to 12 equity clock hours.  

Topics include: Understanding implicit bias, asset-based thinking, building learning partnerships.

NAKIA Academy

NAKIA Academy is a mentoring and leadership academy by people of color and open to people of color (all who identify as BIPOC). The purpose of NAKIA Academy is to keep novice educators in the field by identifying and training veteran BIPOC educators as mentors to support the next generation of BIPOC leaders. NAKIA Academy, named for a fictional unsung hero and humanitarian whose philosophy includes lifting others up, brings together 105 educators of color over a four-month period for a total of 20 hours of learning, connecting, skill-building, and healing. NAKIA Academy is open to all certificated educators, including teachers, counselors, nurses, and other ESAs. The application for NAKIA Academy’s Fall 2021 Cohort is open now! CLICK HERE TO APPLY.

Topics include: Understanding identity, relationship building, confidentiality, conversation skills, mentor roles, connection and healing, imposter syndrome.