My persistent mentee

At first, I tried to get rid of the kid. A polite request by e-mail last fall, sent well before the deadline - a harbinger of his responsible and punctual qualities, asked if I would please be a senior project mentor. I discouraged him, told him he didn't really want me, but that I'd be glad to help him find someone else.

Former Coeur d'Alene High School principal Steve Casey started senior project, now a graduation requirement at area public high schools. Mostly outside of school hours, seniors write a well-researched paper connected to a chosen career, spend 15 hours job shadowing a mentor, and present results to peers and community judges. The students are rated on things valuable throughout life: professional appearance, eye contact, supporting claims with facts, and testing ideas against experience. Not to mention meeting deadlines.

Before you judge me as uncooperative or not practicing what I preach, understand: I work from home. How was job shadowing going to work, I pleaded, when I work on a laptop at my sofa and kitchen table? Hardly exciting.

OK; I admit it also meant I couldn't work in pajamas anymore.

After he shamed me with his persistence, good manners, and the courage it takes to choose a very public experience, I relented. I tried to keep the boredom to a minimum; Ethan helped by taking it all very seriously. I can't speak for Ethan, but after five years of only participating in senior projects as a volunteer judge, I'm glad to add this perspective.

I write a research-based column, so after going over basics of journalism, we worked on research techniques and on sorting and verifying fact - or at least data from official sources widely accepted as reliable - from opinion. That may sound simple, but most of what's out there posing as fact simply isn't. Ethan helped me pull data for a previous column. Bet you couldn't tell which one; he did a good job.

After touring the paper, watching the noisy presses run, and hearing all about the industry, Ethan prepared to write his first published column. He did research. He conducted an interview. He did more research. He wrote a draft, met with an editor, and produced a quality piece on a not-so-easy topic of his choosing.

You can read the result Thursday, in this column space.

Ethan, thanks for pushing me. I'm proud of you.

Sholeh Patrick is an attorney and a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. E-mail: sholehjo@hotmail.com.