Some Lincoln Middle School students are getting new high school mentors through an expanding program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BBBSCR).
At their first meeting Dec. 13 in the Lincoln media center, BBBSCR staff introduced each middle school student to their high school mentor and guided the youth through several icebreaker activities.
“I went to Lincoln and I wanted to reconnect with some of the kids who go here now,” says Natasha Mayers, a junior who’s signed up be a “Big” this year.
Senior Carina Cruz says she’s inspired to be a role model for younger students.
“Hopefully, help them get through middle school, because everyone knows that those years are tough,” she said. “What it means to be a big, to me, is to hopefully make a difference.”
Mayers and Cruz are two of 13 McCaskey students have been paired with 13 Lincoln students.
SDoL’s is the second HS Bigs Program in Lancaster County and one of 16 across Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and Perry Counties, involving nearly 1,000 youth. The program aims to develop college- and career-ready skills in alignment with the American School Counselor Association Student Standards.
“The kids are all nervous when they first arrive” at their first meeting, says Deborah Hornick, Director of Lancaster & Lebanon Counties at BBBSCR. “But, it doesn’t take very long. Very quickly, you’ll see a shift in the room as the kids begin to chat excitedly about their favorite activities and upcoming holiday plans. Having an empathetic friend, a mentor, can have a life-changing impact for these kids.”
High school students can apply to be a Big here:
Families of students at any middle school can apply for their child to be a Little here:
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About School District of Lancaster
The School District of Lancaster is a recognized leader in urban education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For more information visit https://sdlancaster.org
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BBBSCR) creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships
that ignite the power and promise of youth. For over 40 years, BBBSCR has kept its promise by expertly crafting
and maintaining compatible mentoring matches between Littles (at-risk youth) and Bigs (mature volunteers) in the
Capital Region. Our commitment includes using evidence-based best practices to achieve personalized outcomes
and supporting matches throughout their life (one to ten-plus years). Contributions in all forms are vital to fulfilling
the agency’s mission. BBBSCR is a 501(c)(3) charity, registered with the PA Bureau of Charities, and an affiliate of
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. For more information, visit the BBBSCR website at www.capbigs.org.