BBBS offers student volunteers outlet for sharing

The Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program has been a part of the Wilkes community service program for over four years. With its past success and student involvement the BBBS program has been an ideal experience for students seeking to do community service.

According to Wilkes Community Service Coordinator Megan Boone,”[The organization] has great volunteer interest among students.” 

Many students from Wilkes have volunteered through the BBBS program.  For example, Jessica McHanon, has been involved through community service since her freshman year.

McHanon, a junior English education major, refers to her time with BBBS as “really fun and [she] learned a lot”."  McHanon volunteered for BBBS in fall 2008.

McHanon, like many students connected with BBBS, was partnered with community service through her freshman orientation.

“I got involved through community service and orientation.  My orientation session was with BBBS.  I actually was the leader of the group,” said McHanon.

Boone explained, "This program gives students the opportunity to connect with children while away at school. It is also good for students to gain teaching experience for their field of interest."

The Wilkes-Barre BBBS program pairs a "Big" (shorthand for a volunteer of either sex) with a little brother or sister of the same sex. The Big then sets aside a time when the two will meet every week. The big brother or sister has an array of activities to choose from to spend with their little, with the consent of the little’s parent or guardian. The Big will meet with their little at a local community school district. Parameters for what the two can do are not strict. Usually some of the activities they do with their little are going to local parks, fishing, bowling, baseball games, but can also spend time with their little just doing homework and hanging out.

For many students it’s the connection with the little that makes this community service program so important to the college student. In return the Big offers a positive role model and someone other than a little’s parents for them to talk to.

Boone said, ”Many times a little just needs someone to set limits because their parent is hardly around due to employment issues or other complications.  These kids don’t have strict parental supervision. Many of them come from single parent families that have to work long hours or may even be disadvantaged in other ways.”

McHanon advises any student interest in BBBS to work “to find that person they mesh well with.  If you can find that, it is a really, really great experience."