Daishawn Tilghman: January's Mentee of the Month

Daishawn Tilghman began wrestling in 6^th grade at Belmont Charter School and was first accepted in the Mentoring Center in 7^th grade. However, he did not come on a regular basis and missed more mentoring sessions than he attended. As an 8^th grader, Daishawn realized that education was a key component to living a successful life. He began coming into the mentoring center on a weekly basis looking to improve his grades and receive guidance with his impending high school decision. Daishawn applied to schools with strong academic programs across the city and was accepted into Mastery Charter School. The gap from middle school to high school is a large one, especially from an academic standpoint. The amount of homework increases, tests become harder, and teachers give students less leeway when they fall behind. This can seem daunting to many incoming freshman, and it often takes them a while to adjust to the new standards. Daishawn, however hit the ground running. During his first semester of high school, he was constantly at the mentoring center staying on top of his homework and studying. He managed to maintain high grades, while still competing in wrestling. This season Daishawn is 17-6 and ranked 5^th in the district at 220 lbs., a weight class typically dominated by upperclassmen. While Daishawn's wrestling accomplishments are certainly impressive, his academic achievements are even more admirable. Daishawn was named to the Mastery honor roll for the first quarter of the school year. Daishawn’s accomplishments in the classroom have earned him the honor of being named the first ever Mentee of the Month.