Every semester, amazing students from across McGill volunteer as mentors and tutors with the Branches program. This page is where we spotlight exceptional McGill students who go above and beyond and thank them for everything that they do to support positive youth development and access to education.
Emily is from North Vancouver, BC, and studies Physiology and Biotechnology at McGill University. She joined Homework Zone in 2023, inspired by the incredible mentors in her own life. “I became a mentor because I have always had so many amazing people to look up to. I would love to be that person for someone else.”
As the lead mentor at Kahnàwa:ke Survival School, Emily plays a key role in communicating with teachers and students, supervising Homework Zone sessions, and coordinating with the mentoring group. One of her proudest moments was seeing a student work hard to prepare for a difficult science re-test and then excitedly share their success the following week.
Emily understands that student engagement can be a challenge, but she believes persistence is key. “The most important way to overcome this is to keep showing up and never giving up!” Through her experience, she has gained confidence as a leader and developed new perspectives on life and community. “The students at KSS taught me as much as I taught them—if not more!”
Juliette is from Quebec City and studies Honours Biochemistry with a Neuroscience Minor at McGill University. Inspired by the enriching academic programs she experienced during her own education, she joined Homework Zone in 2023. “After-school and lunchtime programs helped me fall in love with learning. They empowered me to push my limits, and I wanted to help others feel that same sense of confidence and belonging in their scholastic environment.”
As the lead mentor at Karonhianónhnha Elementary School, Juliette coordinates on-site activities, supervises Homework Zone sessions, and collaborates with the mentoring team. Juliette is passionate about making learning engaging. She has found creative ways to integrate reading and math into fun activities, like play-acting as grocery clerks for math lessons or analyzing song lyrics for reading practice.Traditional coursework isn’t always the answer—sometimes, the best learning happens when it doesn’t feel like schoolwork at all.
For Juliette, mentoring is a refreshing and grounding experience. “Interacting with my mentees is the highlight of my week. They remind me to step back from the university bubble and indulge my inner child every now and then.”
