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Success Report
Written By: Tammy Mobley - Big Brothers Big Sisters | Issue: 2016/03 - March
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Highlands has recently expanded our number of mentor matches!
We are a division of BBBS of Western North Carolina, serving the region since 1982 and 12 years in Highlands. As the oldest and largest mentoring program in the area, our progress is reflected in the following statistics of youth involved in the community and school-based programs (2015 survey of school personnel) — 90 percent of youth improved their self-confidence, 88 percent improved their problem-solving skills, and 88 percent improved their interactions with adults and peers. That’s the impact of mentoring!
Typically, youth are referred by a school counselor, teacher, or therapist due to academic performance, behavior, self-esteem, or social skills. Some youth are confined to their neighborhood due to a lack of monetary resources and/or transportation. Exposing these children to new people, places, and life experiences helps develop their character while encouraging a love of learning and exploration.
Thank you to our donors. You’ll be mentioned in my next article. Your funding has provided the means for a week of Summer Camp (the only vacation for most), an expanding weekly martial arts class (exercise and education), continuous time for Little Highlands Organics (indoor/outdoor garden towers at The Bascom and raised beds at Highlands School), and adding a new monthly nutritional workshop. These gardening programs teach planting, harvesting and enjoying healthy eating choices of fresh lettuce, veggies and herbs. They also learned marketing and sales skills by making/selling basil and parsley pesto, which was sold at The Bascom Family Day event. Future entrepreneurs! We’ll be back this year so please come by our table.
The BBBS one-on-one mentoring and enrichment experiences provide an effective way that we as a community can open doors for needy children/teens and instill a passion for learning, academic improvement and improving their future success.
Thank you for brightening a child’s life!
For more information, please contact Tammy Mobley, BBBS of Highlands Program Coordinator at (828) 524-5420, (770) 337-1000, [email protected], or P.O. Box 2544, Highlands, NC 28741.
