Teens to test mentor program

Anna Bliss Deen (from left), Kahleel Jones and Maddie Spence play around with a basketball at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office in North Little Rock.
Anna Bliss Deen (from left), Kahleel Jones and Maddie Spence play around with a basketball at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office in North Little Rock.

Correction: The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas’ Big Role Model program is for students in their junior year of high school to become involved in the charity. So far, about two dozen students have committed to interact with Bigs and Littles once a month and pitch in at the organization’s headquarters, says development coordinator Colleen Carr. Each Big Role Model is required to complete 20 hours of volunteer support over nine months and raise $3,000. The next big fundraiser for the organization is the Toast and Roast Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Embassy Suites, and tickets may be purchased by calling (501) 374-6661 or visiting Bbbsca.org. The program’s name, coordinator’s name and participants’ involvement were incorrect in this story.

No one knows better than Kahleel Jones what a difference a big brother can make.

His mother realized five years ago that he needed a strong male influence in his life. She contacted Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas and registered Kahleel for the program. Kahleel, who will be a junior at Bryant High School this fall, says that changed his life. "He took me places, to movies and all. I could talk to him about problems."

Now Kahleel is repaying Big Brothers Big Sisters by becoming an "ambassador," which is a new program for the central Arkansas chapter. The program will kick off this fall.

Colleen Cole, development coordinator, says that they wanted to find a way to involve young people who would serve as role models for the "Littles" registered with Big Brothers Big Sisters. So far, the inaugural class of ambassadors has about two dozen younger kids signed up. Cole says the program could handle about 50 participants.

"Having spent five years as a Little, I know I can make a difference, too," Kahleel says.

Meeting with Kahleel at the organization's headquarters in North Little Rock recently, three other ambassadors echoed Kahleel's sentiment.

Anna Bliss Dean and Maddie Spence, members of the junior class at Mount St. Mary Academy, have signed up to be ambassadors. Anna says she loves kids and thinks it will be real cool to work with the organization. "Kids need good role models," she says. Maddie, who is the middle sister in her family of three girls, also looks forward to working with younger kids and mentoring them.

Hayes Wallace, a student at North Little Rock High School, wants to make a difference in his community and thinks that helping little kids will be "awesome."

The ambassadors will not act as big brothers or big sisters like adult participants, but serve as sources of support. They will attend group events once a month and interact with the "Bigs" and Littles. They'll pitch in at the organization's headquarters, providing clerical help and planning events. Each ambassador is required to complete 30 hours of volunteer support over 12 months and is encouraged to raise $3,000.

"They will be the hands and feet that run this new program," Cole says. "And they will also interact and give some touches along the way to those kids who are waiting for a match."

If the ambassador program is successful, the local Big Brothers Big Sisters group will spread the word nationally so other branches can implement it.

"It's a real win-win -- kids helping kids," adds Hannah Sligh, marketing coordinator.

110 YEARS OF SUPPORT

According to the national organization's website, the seed for Big Brothers Big Sisters took root in 1904 when Ernest Coulter, a court clerk in New York, noticed more and more boys getting into trouble and ending up in his courtroom. He felt like some involved, caring adults could make a difference in their lives. Coulter began looking for volunteers. At the same time, a group called the Ladies of Charity found a similar situation with girls in the New York Children's Court. The Ladies of Charity later became Catholic Big Sisters. In 1977, the two organizations merged and were rebranded Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters operates in all 50 states and 12 countries.

The local organization was started in 1968 by members of five churches in Little Rock who were concerned about the needs of young males living in the Highland Park neighborhood. The first group of Big Brothers who participated were drawn from those five churches. The organization began serving girls in 1983. The name of the local organization was changed in 1998 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas.

Today, the central Arkansas organization has offices in North Little Rock, Conway and Russellville, with some 225 children between the ages of 6 and 14 matched with Bigs, and approximately 80 children on a waiting list. Although the services of Big Brothers Big Sisters are offered at no cost to the child or the parents, it costs the organization about $1,000 a year per child.

ENROLLING A CHILD

If a parent or guardian feels her child needs the guidance of an adult mentor, she contacts Big Brothers Big Sisters and applies for an interview. Eligible children must live in Pulaski County, be between the ages of 6 (enrolled in first grade) and 14, and live in a household where one parent is unable to fulfill his or her role for some reason.

The interview allows the organization to get to know the child and parent/guardian in order to match the child with the best possible mentor. The parent will receive a letter confirming that the child has accepted and is on the waiting list. Once a match is made, Big Brothers Big Sisters tells the parent about the potential mentor and a time is set up for the parties to meet.

Under the school-based mentoring program, the big brother or sister spends an hour a week with the child at school during a time coordinated with the child's teacher. Community-based mentors agree to spend two or three hours per meeting, two or three times a month with the child.

Big Brothers Big Sisters works not only with local school districts but also with Boys and Girls Clubs.

Fundraisers for the organization are held throughout the year. The next one will be the annual Roast & Toast, 6 p.m. Aug. 21 at Embassy Suites in Little Rock. The honoree will be former Arkansas Razorbacks basketball head coach Nolan Richardson. Tickets are $150 per person.

To find out more about the Ambassadors program, or more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas in general, call (501) 374-6661 or visit the website bbbsca.org.

High Profile on 06/29/2014

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