In this essay, the author traces the progress of one English teacher (Dana) from her days as a middle school student, to her university work, to her emergence as a teacher. The journey reveals that many mentors along the way contributed to the new teacher's sense of purpose, efficacy, and confidence. It is easy to limit one's thinking about the concept of mentor as the cooperating teacher during student teaching or the assigned mentor teacher during the first year of teaching. In contrast, Dana's journey traces the influences of many mentors, from grandmother to cooperating teacher. The story celebrates the contributions of many and suggests the vulnerability of prospective teachers, who might be discouraged rather than encouraged, who could be distracted rather than inspired.