'Sisters' Enjoy Learning From Eachother

The Emporia Gazette delivers a heart warming story about two girls that needed a change. Holly Ann was looking for a way to interact with kids and to be able to change someone’s life. Holly Ann decided to take a shot with Big Brothers Big Sisters so she could be able to what she wanted, be able to have a sister. Holly Ann went into Big Brothers Big Sisters knowing that the littles life would be changed, but she had no idea it would make a difference in hers. Being the oldest child in the family, Holly Ann didn't have an older sibling to look up to. She hated not having someone to watch and look up too, so she wanted to deliver that dream to another little girl in need of love and friendship.  

Big Brothers Big Sisters decided to pair her up who needed just that, a big sister. Mariah was in need of a role model and the two became a perfect match. Mariah loves how Holly is so friendly, creative and caring, just like a big sis would be. The two love doing activities together and have a great time. The two of them have been to a Tye Dye Run, shopping, getting their nails done, watching movies and also playing at the park. “I want Mariah to know that she is capable of anything, and that she is so important to me. No matter where we go in life, she can always come to me, and I will always be her big sister,” Holly Ann concluded.

At Big Brothers Big Sisters  we take our time to find the perfect match so both can go through  life changing events. We take into considerations similar personalities, interests and hobbies. If you have any interest in changing someone else’s life and also your’s please call Big Brothers Big Sisters.

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In Dane County, Big Brothers Big Sisters shares a story of two people who have the same interests and Hobbies. Matt who lives with his single mother was in need of a father like figure, someone to teach him things and show him the right path. Dan who also lived without a father as a child, knows what it’s like to grow up without someone to look up to. Big Brothers Big Sisters paired the two up and became very close. Dan has been trying to help Matt out in every way possible. Matt and Dan have been paired since Matt was in grade school. Matt started playing basketball in 5th grade so Dan decided to pick up the sport to help Matt succeed. Dan and Matt usually play basketball or even watch basketball when they are together. Everytime Matt had a game, Dan would never miss it for the world. Soon enough, Dan decided to help coach Matt’s middle school team. Dan was becoming the father figure Matt never had. Matt said Dan has been there in every way possible: from helping him create goals in sports and grades, to just being a better person.

    In this video Matt wrote Dan a letter for their eight year anniversary to show Dan how much he has meant to Matt in his life. Dan came in knowing he would help a kid grow and succeed, but never thought his life will be changed forever. That letter Matt wrote to Dan, changed Dan’s life and he still cherishes it today. 

      Big Brothers Big Sisters make sure that they take their time and make sure pairing are the best they can be. We need people who are ready to change someone’s life and also ready for their lives to be change. If you're passionate about your community and area, help make sure the youth is making right decisions and help them be on the right path. Call Big Brothers Big Sisters today.

    

A Place To Belong, For Big And Little

 

David Koon of The Arkansas Times explains and shows in his article what an impact a big can have on a little who is searching for someone to be friends with and to learn from. A mother of three which all are living on their own now, has been searching for a way to be a mother again and to help raise the youth. Sherry Nossaman was looking for a way to be active again and do something to help the community. Nossaman loves kids and was all about playing with her kids while they grew up. A friend recommended to Nossaman that she should look into Big Brothers Big Sisters. Nossaman was intrigued and decided to take a look.

Nossaman had to go through training and interviews before she would be paired up. She wanted to be able to be paired up with a girl because she thought they could have more things in common and to do. Once she became verified, Nossaman found her little sister. Amaaria is 10 years old who was in need for someone to hang out with. Living with her Mom and Grandmother, Amaaria didn't have many people to hang out with, not even her older sister. The pair was matched perfect. Nossaman and Amaaria have been paired for more than 14 months now and have been loving the times they have spent together. Nossaman loves to be active and so does Amaaria: they go hiking, swimming, out to eat, etc.. With Nossaman being a mother for years now, she knew the big impact that an outside source can help a child learn and grow. Nossaman hopes that her time with Amaaria will build her self-esteem and to teach her that she can do anything she dreams of, if she works hard enough. The Impact an older being can have on a child is huge and is needed everyday.

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For those who are reading, please share us your story with someone who inspired you growing up or has helped you get on the right path. If not try what Sherry did and be their for a one in need.

Madison House Partners With Big Brothers Big Sisters

      In Charlottesville Va., Madison House’s Big Siblings program has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge. At a given time there are 100- 150 children on a Big Brothers Big Sisters wait list. The new partnership aims to help more than 100 children move off of the wait list and get a mentor. 

  

    Madison House and BBBS both run very similar programs so they decided to come together to create the best sibling program out there. BBBS of Central Blue Ridge helps children who need help with school, or are struggling with being bullied or gang activity.  Many children who are in programs come from single parent households, have family members incarcerated, or are living in poverty.  The program helps children in Charlottesville and Albemarle county. Madison House runs a program called “Bridging the Gap”.  This program mentors refugee children in Charlottesville.

The idea for collaboration came about last spring semester.  The organizations are equally working together to create an advanced mentoring program.  Big Siblings has a lot of input on the new mentoring program.  Volunteers at the Madison House will match the children with their new mentor. The volunteers at the Madison House will be working with guidance counselors from the local schools to help them with the matching progress. The Mentors will be from the University of Virginia and they will receive training and professional support. The Madison House Big Siblings director said, “The application process will also include an interview and a background check to ensure the program draws really committed volunteers.”  She is confident that this new program will grow past this academic year and continue on for many more.

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Please comment below if any schools near you have been teaming up with local organizations! I would love to hear about all of the positive things that have come from collaborations.

Little Start, Big Impact

At the University of Dayton the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has grown so much in the past few years. In 2014, 90 students were now active “Bigs” in the program which was teh highest retention rate for returning “Bigs”. The “Bigs” at the University of Dayton help their “Littles” improve their academics,become more confident and build better futures. 

In 2013, the University of Dayton became a partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley, which helped expand the mentoring program at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, and also established school based mentoring at local schools. Joe Radelet CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley said, “Our partnership has grown so much that we have enough ‘Bigs’ for every child at St. Paul’s. It just goes to show the commitment of the University of Dayton and its students in getting our 'Littles' on the path to life-long success,"

The students at the University of Dayton are greatly influencing the children in the surrounding area. For example, Libby Durnwarld who is an International Studies major helped her “Little” become more confident and learn English. Having a “Big” helped her “Little” open up and become a more funny and talkative person.  Another “Big” from the university helped her ”Little” gain confidence and become more interested in school. Due to her guidance her “Little” is now entering the science fair. Having a “Big” really helps out “Littles” by giving them a friend to talk to. Students who mentor for BBBS have to stay for at least a year but most choose to be in the program for longer.  Students usually remain in the program because of the relationships that they form with their “Littles”. The program at the University of Dayton plans to expand and create a program that is specific for Spanish speaking children. 

  

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From this Blog I’d love for readers to comment below something a local school near you has done to give back and support the surrounding community.

Relationships To Last Decades

        It is known the the biggest difference between Big Brothers Big Sisters and other mentoring organizations, is the professional support. The magic to the relationships that form from mentoring is the matchmaking process they undergo. This process is very strict as we want to make sure our bigs' and littles' are truly compatible. There have been numerous situations where we have someone who would make a great big come in for an interview but they have too much of a time commitment job or travel weekly, which would make the mentoring process too difficult for them. 

        These kids come from very hard backgrounds where they really just need a role model to look up to. In cases like Bryce Hammond and Zach Hokett, lifetime relationships are created that in the beginning didn't seem like they would be too close. The first day the big and little met, they bonded through a funny incident while jumping on the trampoline. The amazing thing is that little event like that become the root of amazing relationships that last a lifetime. Zach was just a business man who wanted to give back to the community somehow, and now he says he cannot imagine his life without Bryce. 
        Not all relationships formed in the organization are lifetime long, most lasting around three years. However there are many like Zach and Bryce who truly develop a one of a kind relationship. Bryce shares how he loves to share his ups and downs of life with Zach as he becomes a teenager, he admits that if it wasn't for him that he would just be bottling everything up. Relationships like these are rare in anyone's life, but with Big Brothers Big Sisters children like Bryce can have a role model like Zach that they search for times to brag about.

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Have a mentor story you want us to feature? Comment below and tell us about you're story!

Making Changes For Foster Children

        

        Big Brothers Big Sister of America is making a step further to help the children of our nation. With a new program that has been launched called Connect The Dots, young adults who have aged out of foster care now have the opportunity to be mentored by a big from our organization. Typically foster children don't make up a huge majority of our littles', however we have realized through test cases how much of a difference this program can make for the young adults. 
        So many children who went through foster care have worse situations than just a negative family home life, because they don't have a family to go home to. These children are forced to go from one foster home to another, many of the times going through abuse and neglect from many of the parents hosting the homes. It has been stated that foster children are more likely to drop out of school, become unemployed, and get arrested once they have aged out of the system. 
        The test case used for Connect The Dots was with 18 year old llon, who after he had spent time with his mentor stated that, "Give me a better perspective on life, something I've never seen before. The whole other side". It really is true that little impacts can make big changes in these young adults lives, and with the help of a mentor they can have a easier transition into adulthood, leading them to a bright and shining path.

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What do you guys think of our new program? We would love to hear your opinions!

Bringing Your Child To New Heights

 

Richard Jones of Journal News wrote an article about the benefits of Big Brothers Big Sisters and how your child will reach new heights and is on a path to success while apart of the program. Jones explains Big Brothers Big Sisters as a program that “sets up one-on-one mentoring relationship between at- risk children and qualified adults as well as group activities designed to give the young people some guidance while staff members search for matches among the limited supply of volunteers.” Jones’ article goes on to explain a study done by Public/Private Ventures which explained that children apart of Big Brothers Big Sisters were less likely to use illegal drugs, one-third less likely to engage in violence, and were more likely to be confident in school.

Jones interviewed Rob Clevenger, director of the Juvenile Justice Center who said, “One common thing we find is that (the children) lack a positive role model, and we believe that putting a significant person in the life of the child will help them shape their lives in a better way” Big Brothers Big Sisters has made an impact in the lives of at-risk children by simply giving them a role model who will help them in any situation and will support them.

Jones mentions some of the mentors who have made huge impacts in their Little Brothers’ and Sisters’ lives. The mentors inform Jones and readers that being a Big Brother or Sister takes commitment and you must take that into consideration when applying. A mentor must spend at least one hour a week with their Little. After applying you must partake in background checks as well as provide references to a match support specialist. Once you are assigned a little you must fill out a series of surveys to insure the relationship is successful and healthy. As a Big, it is a requirement to inform your match support specialist of any changes your Little may encounter.

Executive Director, Carolyn Winslow, addresses that the program’s biggest challenge is keeping money within the program. Winslow said, “The last four or five years have been tough on us. While the economy has made it harder to get money coming in, it has also increased the number of kids we have needing our service.” All donations are greatly appreciated but the lack of donations affects the success of our program and the success of the Littles.

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Pairs That Change Lives

 

United Way of Central Ohio produced a story about Big Brothers Big Sisters, one of the many organizations United Way Sponsors. The news segment follows the story of Big Brother Roger Madison and 17-year-old Little Brother Dyonmarte. It starts off explaining how the pair meets every Thursday night at a local Panera Bread restaurant to go over homework. The pair has been a Big Brother, Little Brother team for the past five years. Madison said their relationship started off with activities like bowling and going to the movies but once he saw one of Dyonmarte’s report cards he knew he had to guide him in other areas.

           Dyonmarte is involved in three sports at his school and that was taking a toll on his academics. Dyonmarte said with the stress of three sports and academics he just wanted to give up but his Big Brother wouldn’t let him. Madison was committed to helping his Little Brother and that eventually led to a boost in Dyonmarte’s GPA from a 1.8 to above a 3.0. As inspiration to never give up and to continue working hard, Madison always brings two items to their study sessions. A small sign that reads, “Think” and a small glass star are always sitting on the table every Thursday evening. Dyonmarte told the reporter that the glass star is always with him.

The goal of the Big Brothers Big Sisters pair is to work together to achieve success. Madison explains that the key is to just be there. Madison encourages more people to get involved with the program stating, “If your interested in helping young people just a little bit, just show up for an hour once a week and see how much of a difference it makes.” This story shows viewers how much of an impact Big Brothers Big Sisters can make on the children and young adults. It also illustrates how Big Brothers or Sisters can truly change their Littles for the better just through a small amount of time.  

 

           Now to those who are reading comment below this post and tell me about someone in your life who has changed you for the better or someone who has just been an inspiration to you. I would love to hear similar stories that relate to Roger and Dyonmarte’s.

Mentor 2.0

 

The Dallas Morning News’ article explains how Big Brothers Big Sisters works hand in hand with many high schools around the country but thanks to a new online program called Mentor2.0 Big Brothers Big Sisters will be assisting kids around the country in a new, virtual, and convenient way.  Mentor2.0 is mostly directed towards high school students. Schools including North Dallas High School, Irving High School, and four Uplift Education charters schools will be some of the of the firsts to participate in the new online system.

    Thanks to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, which sponsors the new virtual system, Mentor2.0 connects students with volunteers who will guide them through high school and prepare them for college. Most interactions occur through email, which are revolved around the academic curriculum and is monitored by a secure online system. To ensure even more safety teachers and Big Brother Big Sisters employees monitor all emails. The students involved must also have their parents’ permission to participate in Mentor2.0. Criminal background checks and mentor training are mandatory for all volunteers.

Each week the mentor and students will discuss certain topics that will prepare them for their futures and “the real world”, including creating resumes, interview tips, and appropriate interview attire. Along with interacting over email, every four to six weeks the mentor and the student will meet at a school- sponsored event to discuss building skills for interviews and jobs. Mentor2.0 is divided into two sections, the first one is “college ready” for ninth-graders and the second section is “college success” for high school juniors. The program continues through the student’s first year of college.

The mission for this new program is to blend traditional and online mentoring which will lead to building relationships through the convenience of technology. April Klics, an associate vice president for Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, said online programming is convenient, time-specific and tuned to academic success and college preparation. Charles Pierson, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, said he expects e-mentoring to expand quickly. Mentor2.0 provides students with a guide and mentor who will be there for them during the most important and toughest times of their lives. The program will allow students to have a reference 24/7.

 

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For this blog I would love to hear your opinions. How do you feel about Mentor 2.0 after reading this blog? Do you think that it will help and is a good idea or do you think that the lack of personal interaction will hold students back and will not be affective? Comment down below!