WILKES-BARRE — Since September, King’s College student Kevin Collery, 22, has met once a week with Alfonso, a 10-year-old fourth grader at Kistler Elementary.
BY CALEB SHEAFFER
STAFF WRITER
Published: Sunday, February 1, 2009 11:02 AM EST
WILKES-BARRE — Since September, King’s College student Kevin Collery, 22, has met once a week with Alfonso, a 10-year-old fourth grader at Kistler Elementary.It may appear an unlikely friendship, given their 12-year age difference. But they both always look forward to the visit in the gym at Kistler Elementary.
Whenever they meet, Collery tutors Alfonso on his homework — usually his spelling and writing, because Alfonso’s second language is English. Then, Collery and Alfonso shoot some hoops or play soccer — Alfonso’s favorite.
Both of them have fun, and Alfonso appreciates that he has made a new friend. Though shy, Alfonso said he is happy to have Collery come by each week. Collery, too, agrees that he benefits from their meetings.
“It is a good time and nice way to give back,” said Collery, a psychology and sociology major.
Collery and Alfonso befriended each other through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Started in 1974, the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is run under Catholic Social Services of the Wyoming Valley. Currently, Big Brothers Big Sisters wants to expand the program in the Wyoming Valley.
Last year, the group paired up 1,000 children with a big brother or big sister, but still they have a waiting list of 150 children in the Wilkes-Barre area. Usually the mentors and the children meet once a week for about two hours.
“What’s neat about the kids, they are having a good time, so they don’t even know they are being helped,” said Tanya Olaviany, program supervisor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Wyoming Valley.
Big Brothers Big Sisters has a school-based and a community-based program in the Wilkes-Barre area, Olaviany said. The community-based program allows community members to mentor a younger person, and the pair usually meets at the mentor’s home or somewhere in public.
The school-based program conveniently lets high school and college students become mentors to elementary- and middle school-aged students. Big Brothers Big Sisters hosts after school sessions at Wilkes-Barre Area and Wyoming Valley West school districts.
Joe Swortz, a social worker with Catholic Social Services, oversees the school program, held Monday through Thursday, once each afternoon at Dan Flood Elementary, Kistler Elementary, Boyd Dodson Elementary and Main Street School.
Olaviany said there are many benefits for the children involved in either of the programs. The children might belong to busy families, who have little time to spend with their children one-on-one. The mentors — known in the program as “bigs” — can provide an unbiased source of advice, and the children — known in the program as “littles” — learn the difference between a caretaker and friend.
Many children in the program are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, like using drugs, drinking or skipping school, according to a 1995 national study.
“We follow outcomes locally and they mirror those statistics,” Olaviany said. “If we give these kids these skills, they’ll grow up and become a productive member of the community.”
The biggest fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters is Bowl For Kids’ Sake, a fundraiser scheduled for March 28 at Stanton Lanes in Wilkes-Barre. Last year, Bowl For Kids’ Sake raised more than $122,000 in Wilkes-Barre, and almost a quarter million overall. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Big Brothers Big Sisters also has programs in Hazleton, Bloomsburg, Stroudsburg and Tunkhannock.
If an adult or teenager wants to become a “big” in the program, they can contact the Big Brothers Big Sisters at Catholic Social Services. Olaviany and others at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office spend time to make sure “bigs” in the program get paired up with appropriate “littles.”
During the screening process and background checks, the program asks about prospective mentors’ interests, to match “bigs” and “littles.”
For the little amount of time they put into the program, the “bigs” always say they get a lot out of helping children and becoming their mentor and friend.
Kelly Sandrock, 20, a sophomore at King’s College, has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters for more than a year. Every Wednesday, she meets at Kistler Elementary with her little sister, Cheyann, 11, to help with homework and play games, for about an hour and a half.
“I want to work with kids more, since I want to be a teacher,” said Sandrock, who is studying secondary education and history. “I found out that I like it and the kids need help.”
Other volunteers, like Ron Ott, 16, a junior at Meyers High School, decide to volunteer, just because they want to be a positive role model in somebody’s life. Ott and his “little” Michael, a 10-year-old fourth grader at Kistler Elementary, usually spend time finishing Michael’s homework together or playing soccer.
“It made me interact with a younger child,” Ott said. “I think it is a good learning experience.”
Ann Marie Winters, staff writer, contributed to this report.
csheaffer@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2083
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