Big Brother Big Sister program at Hamburg Area School District

Hamburg Area School District plans to start up a Big Brother Big Sister SMART program. The SMART (Students & Mentors Achieving Results Together) Program is a school based mentoring program administered by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berks County, PA. The program matches volunteer mentors (called Big Brothers and Big Sisters) with students from select elementary and middle schools. The mentored students (called Little Brothers and Little Sisters) have been identified by school personnel as needing assistance with schoolwork, having poor attendance records, possessing low self-esteem, and/or other related challenges. Volunteers are high school students, college students, and other adult mentors (depending on the specific school program). They serve as friends, mentors, tutors, and role models for the elementary and middle school students.

     Mrs. Ponter, a teacher at HAHS, acts as the liaison between the school district and Big Brothers Big Sisters and helps recruit interested mentors from the high school. She states that she “works closely with Shae-Lynn Harris, Case-work Manager, and Bethany Redman-Baez, Program Administrator, to collect applications, arrange interviews and training, and facilitate the implementation of the mentoring program at the Middle School and Tilden Elementary.”

     Shae-Lynn Harris is not only the Case-work Manager, the provider and liaison of services between the volunteers, the mentees, the mentees parents/guardians, and the agency. She also states that she is responsible for “assisting the Program Administrator with volunteer, parent, and client (children) empowerment training sessions.”

     Shae-Lynn believes that there are many benefits to the program, saying, “SMART is an educational based program that allows high school students to become mentors to elementary and middle school students. It allows them to be a positive role model for a younger child. SMART is in a school setting, so this allows the Bigs to help Littles work on their homework, self-esteem, confidence, and have the opportunity to make a friend. The SMART program is also a great experience for those who are looking to go into professions that involve working with children.”

     She adds, “In the case of high school Bigs, they also benefit by engaging in community service volunteerism that will hopefully carry over their adult lives; developing a sense of responsibility and commitment to a worthwhile project; and utilizing the program as a positive learning experience. The elementary and middle school Littles benefit by having an older, caring volunteer who will be able to spend one-on-one time with them in the school setting. By utilizing information obtained by the classroom teacher through the application process, the mentor can assist the student in areas of poor performance.”

     The program team has been trying to recruit students for some time now. Shae-Lynn states that “the recruitment process has been a challenge since service hours are not a requirement.” They are working hard in order to find different incentives that will assist the process. Mrs. Ponter has been informing students of the program, and the Casework Manager has also had recruitment tables at the school. 

     The start date of the program is still to be announced, as some paperwork is in the works of finishing and being processed. Shae-Lynn expects that the program will start running this year or next year, saying, “The goal is to at least get the program up and running then expand it. Due to COVID, SMART at the Hamburg School District has been on pause for about two years. As the Casework Manager who is the liaison of SMART, I would like to get the program up and running and expand our numbers too so that we can have a successful educational program.”

     If there is any interest in joining the program, do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Ponter. Volunteers are always welcome and will allow for a difference to be made in a young person’s life.