Drake Students Volunteer
In "Bigs in Schools" Program

By Stessie Bill
CyberNews Staff Reporter

March 12, 2002

A "spring cleaning" could be long overdue for those typical students whose free time consists of watching "The Real World" reruns for the third time. Volunteering this spring may be a more productive use of time, and allows students a chance to partake in local community service.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa provides Drake students the opportunity to volunteer without sacraficing a lot of time. "Bigs in School" is a new program created primarily for college students who have demanding schedules, but want to volunteer with children.

This newest volunteer opportunity combines the expertise of two organizations. School personnel and the Big Brothers Big Sisters' coordinator provide an opportunity for a Drake student to meet with a child at a school, once a week during the day for the school year.

Megan Wischmeier (FA4) became interested in the Big Brother Big Sister program because of a similar program she participated in during high school. In October she contacted the "Bigs" agency and inquired about a mentoring opportunity for Drake students. "Bigs in School is an ideal program for college students because it fits into their schedules," Wischmeier said.

Piloting the program in the Greek system, she contacted every sorority and fraternity house at Drake to recruit possible volunteers. Then she mailed out applications to interested students. "Over 90 or 100 sent in a registration form," Wischmeier said. "I'm not sure how many students are actually volunteering, but the number is considerable."

After the application process, an interview is set up with a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa representative. The official Web site says the interview will provide the Bigs in School representative a chance to get to know the student's personality and background. Past and present experiences are discussed, and the type of child best suited to a student's interests is identified.

Once the potential volunteer is approved, a match is selected and informational meetings are set up with the child's teachers or parents. Soon after, the Big can begin meeting at the Little's school. These meetings usually involve academic work, games and conversation, all while building a relationship and helping improve a child's self-esteem.

Jill Kinkle (B4) couldn't be happier with her experience as a Big Sister. "They matched me up perfectly," Kinkle said. "I told them I was flexible, but my Little Brother is just what I wanted." Kinkle and her Little spend Mondays simply playing games, but she said the experience has been mutually beneficial. "It's amazing to see how it touches their lives. The time spent with him enhances his lives and therefore enhances my life," she said.

In "Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters," the research firm Public/Private Ventures looked at approximately 1,000 children from eight BBBSA agencies across the country. Half the children were assigned Big Brothers and Big Sisters, while the others were assigned to a control group. A year to 18 months later, researchers found the Little Brothers and Little Sisters were 46 percent less likely than their unmatched peers to begin usuing drugs, 27 percent less likely to start using alcohol, 52 percent les likely to skip school or classes, and 33 percent less likely to initiate violence. They also became more confident in their school performance and got along better with their families.

To become a volunteer in the Bigs Program, a student should fill out an application and background check. To obtain an application, go to http://www.biglink.org/index.html or request one at (515)-288-6191. This "real world" endeavor is one that will not be forgotten.