The Manitowoc Public School District has begun a new community partnership this year with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Approximately 20 high school students from Lincoln went through the application process to become a Big Brother or Sister to a child at one of the MPSD Elementary Schools. Littles were nominated for the program by parents or teachers. The matches were made earlier this school year, and the partners meet one to two times a week. The Lincoln High School students go over their lunch hour to spend time with their Little Brother or Sister. Sometimes the Bigs eat lunch and spend recess with their Littles, otherwise time together is spent helping in the classroom, attending specials, or playing games. BBBS Executive Director Joel Evenson is enthused about the partnership and excited to see the high school program grow in the future. Participation in the BBBS mentoring program for Littles has been known to increase confidence, raise success in school, and lead to less engagement in risky behaviors. But the Lincoln High School Bigs are getting just as much out of the program. Grace Satori, a Junior at Lincoln, noted, “I joined Big Brothers Big Sisters in hopes that I would be able to have a positive impact on someone’s life, and so far she has had a positive impact on mine too. I have a little sister at Jefferson elementary. Being able to take a break from my busy schedule and play games and do crafts with her has been a very fun addition to my week. The few weeks we’ve had together so far have been very fun and I’m excited to continue building our friendship throughout the rest of the program and possibly beyond that.” Chandler Holschbach added, “ I enjoy spending time with my little every time we meet, and I also love knowing that I’m making a positive change for the community!” The addition of the school partnership this year brings the total number of students served in Manitowoc County to over 130–the most it has been in over 5 years. If you would like to get involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, please reach out to 920-684-7445.
Big Brothers Big Sisters Begins New Community Partnership With Manitowoc Elementary Schools
Dec 15, 2018 | 9:00 AM
Local News