Meet your mentee, Ishmaaily.

Ishmaaily describes himself as athletic, driven, and motivated. He grew up in Staten Island and is a committed athlete who has always loved basketball and football. He played on the school basketball team last year and is unsure about this year, but continues to enjoy competing, working out, and staying active. His favorite classes are Math and Global History—he especially liked an assignment where his class traded goods with different countries. Outside of school, he plays basketball, lifts weights, watches anime, and plays video games like Madden, Fortnite, and 2K. He hopes to become a software engineer and wants support exploring jobs in engineering if SYEP (NYC's summer youth employment program) doesn’t work out this summer. He joined GCSA to expand his knowledge, receive mentorship, and get guidance with scholarships and preparing for college.

There are many natural connections between you and Ishmaaily. You both enjoy football, basketball, video games, and following pop culture and sports. His interest in software engineering aligns closely with your background in IT systems, problem-solving, and managing technical projects. You also share a talkative, relationship-oriented communication style and comfort being open about emotions, which will help him feel supported. Most importantly, he wants a mentor who can help him grow, plan his future, and stay focused—exactly the kind of flexible, steady support you bring through your experience in IT and your desire to give back.