Mentoring Works!

The BBBS organization defined the meaning of one-to-one mentoring. Behind the BBBS name are many professionals who have developed, refined, and delivered this premier system to recruit and screen candidates, match Littles to Bigs, and support these relationships with skill and compassion.

The impact of the program is big. An independent impact study by Veteran research group, Private Public Ventures P/PV confirmed what we inherently knew: children are more likely to excel and make better choices with their lives when they have felt the quiet power of the match experience. P/PV research showed that children matched one-to-one with and adult mentor were:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school
• 37% less likely to skip class
• More confident in their schoolwork performance
• Able to get along better with their families

BBBS of Fond du Lac County continues to prove year after year that the children served by the agency improve in self confidence, competence, and caring behaviors. It is possible to change the world, one child at a time.

We are proud to be a United Way Agency Partner.

I became a big when I was part-way through my college experience at Marian. I had known since high school that I wanted to do something to help out my community, but I never knew quite what I could do to benefit such a large group of people. When Big Brothers/Big Sisters came to Marian for a small event, I was able to talk to Jennifer Smith and express my *timid* interest in the program. I was really worried that I wouldn’t have enough time to commit, and that I wouldn’t know what to do with a younger “sibling” or how to be a “positive mentor.”

A little over two years ago I decided to become a BIG with hopes of making a positive impact on a child’s life. To be honest, it was a little nerve wrecking at first. Not knowing who I would end up with, whether or not we would get along, and if I was the right person for such an important responsibility. I was also unsure I would be able to follow through with the commitment because I live a very busy lifestyle. One of the things that attracted me to the program was that I only needed to be available every other week for a few hours. This worked out very well for me.

I originally became a Big because I wanted to better the life of a young child who needed an extra ray of sunshine in their life. My mission was to become that figure they looked forward to seeing each time we got together.

I became a BIG almost 3 years ago.  I wanted to be a positive influence in a littles life and help them in their own experiences throughout life. We enjoy swimming, going to movies, outdoor activities and some sports.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters School Based Program has been amazing for me and I know for my little sister, Yajaira, too. I became a big sister last year because I love kids and interacting with them. I have wanted to be a teacher for the longest time, and the idea of getting to see a child once every week for the duration of a school year sounded like a ton of fun! These last two years have been a blast.  I’ve seen my little sister grow so much as a person, and even as a student. Through our time together, we’ve become great friends. When we are together we play games, read, work on homework or make up assignments, and sometimes even just talk. The program has also been very inspiring for me, and it is such an incredible feeling to know that she looks forward to seeing me every Thursday at school.  I definitely plan to continue my time with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program through college!

I could write a book about all of our different adventures we have been on…but it is the simple moments on our hikes that I cherish the most.  This is when she opens up and talks about her dreams of becoming a veterinarian one day.  There are no other distractions – it’s just Morgan, myself and Mother Nature, and the opportunity for Morgan to dream big.