April 2005
Metrowest High school “Bigs” learn mentoring is fun
Big Brother Ryan Walsh, right and his Little Brother Bradley
It’s Wednesday afternoon at the Boys & Girls Club in Marlboro where an exuberant group of teenagers and kids gather to compete at board games, shoot baskets and play dodge ball. They’re all taking part in a Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring program—one of five school and site based programs in the Metrowest— and it’s hard to tell who’s having more fun, the Bigs or the Littles.
Ryan Walsh and Leah Wood, seniors at Marlboro High School, strategize moves in a game of Jenga with their Little Brother and Sister, Bradley, 10, and Autumn, 8. Leah became a Big Sister last spring when the program was initiated; she convinced Ryan to join her this fall.
“I’m an only child; I thought it would be fun to have a younger girl to relate to, “ Leah said. “It’s cool having a little kid look up to you.”
Ryan, the oldest of three siblings, thought he’d be helping his Little Brother with schoolwork. Instead, “he seems intent on beating me at every game we play,” he said.
“For me, it’s fun to be doing something I wouldn’t ordinarily be doing on a Wednesday afternoon,” Ryan said.
Big Sister Kaitlin Roop, a senior at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School in Ft. Devins, is doing her senior project on the effectiveness of mentoring. Matched with eight year old Sydney, the older girl is experiencing firsthand some of the mentoring and psychology theories she researched for her project. At the end of the school year, she will summarize her experience as a Big Sister, supplementing research with journal entries she makes after each mentoring session.
“I really like the opportunity to hang out with Sydney,” Kaitlin said, as her Little Sister responded with a big hug.
The Boys & Girls Club mentoring program is the largest of the Metrowest school and site based programs, with 17 pairs of Bigs and Littles as of the end of February, according to Vanessa Muscente, interview match specialist.
“It’s wonderful for the kids,” said Tammi Pudlo, Boys & Girls Club director, “The kids love it—they would have Big Brothers and Sisters come everyday, if they could.”