When Liam first met his WITS mentor, Brooke, they were both a little nervous. 

Brooke, WITS Workplace mentor at PwC, had just started her first professional job and was looking for a way to step outside the corporate office and give back. Liam was a quiet student who loved geography and learning about the world. 

Neither of them knew that over the next two years, they would build a friendship centered around books, curiosity, and confidence. 

A First Meeting

Brooke still remembers the day they were paired together. “I remember walking into one of the big rooms and being really excited,” she said. “I had heard about the program through work and was looking for a way to connect with people outside the office.” 

When she heard Liam’s name announced, she immediately noticed something unique about him. “One of the first things that stood out to me was that Liam loved geography,” Brooke recalled. “When we were choosing books, he wanted to read a textbook. He was the only kid in the room who chose that.” 

The books Liam gravitated toward were full of big ideas and even bigger words. Subjects such as continents, feudalism, and world history were consistently featured in their reading material. “I remember thinking, this kid is so smart,” Brooke said. “I was so excited to go through WITS with him.” 

Discovering the World Through Books

For Liam, reading about the world is what makes WITS exciting. “I like learning about other places,” he said. “Other cultures and history and what people do in other countries.” 

One place that has captured his imagination is Japan. “I like their culture and history. And their mountains and cherry blossom trees.” 

During WITS sessions, Liam and Brooke read side by side, taking turns page by page. But the reading doesn’t stop there. “We pause a lot,” Brooke explained. “We look at the maps and diagrams and talk through them. If something is complicated, we sit with it and figure out what it means together.” Those moments are what make their time together special. 

Growing Confidence 

Over the past two years, Brooke has seen Liam grow in ways that go beyond reading. “When we first met, Liam was a little more reserved,” she said. “Now, when he walks in, we’re both excited to be there.” The two even share a friendly competitive streak during WITS activities. “We try to finish the opening activity first,” Brooke laughed. “Liam is way better at word searches than I am.” 

And Liam is no longer shy about showing his work. “He raises his hand now and has Estefania (WITS Program Coordinator) grade it so we can get the official first-place stamp,” Brooke said. 

Along the way, she has also discovered another side of Liam’s creativity. “He loves to draw,” she said. “I’ve seen some really cool artwork from him this year.” 

When asked what he likes to draw, Liam shrugged with a smile. “Whatever comes to mind,” he said. “Sometimes turtles, which are my favorite animal.” 

Why Mentorship Matters 

For Brooke, mentorship has been just as meaningful as it has been for Liam. “I’ve loved seeing Liam grow not only in reading but in confidence,” she said. “At the beginning, large numbers in the geography books were tricky, which is common. Now he reads them without slowing down.” Seeing that progress firsthand has been powerful. 

“It’s amazing to watch how our one-on-one sessions have helped,” she said. “Words that once tripped him up now come easily.” 

But the impact goes both ways. “Liam has had a big impact on me,” Brooke said. “Work can be stressful, and stepping away to spend time reading and remembering what it was like to be a kid again has been really special.” 

Their story is exactly what WITS is about. Connecting students with caring mentors and opening the door to a world of learning through books. Sometimes that world begins with something as simple as a geography book and a shared curiosity about the places beyond our classroom or office. And sometimes, it leads to something even bigger: confidence, connection, and a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.