The need is great, says executive director
Ryan Scott says in a past job as a kindergarten teacher, he was able to tell on the first day which of his students would struggle the rest of the year. And 99% of the time it was the children who didn’t have positive relationships at home.
But much of the trauma and negativity that may occur at home can be buffered if a child has a mentor in his or her life, said Scott, the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana.
Scott said that’s a major motivating factor to build the program in Henderson. As a former educator here—he taught at East Heights and South Heights elementary schools—he knows the need is high.
“Life is the hardest thing to do, especially kids who may not have a positive influence in their lives,” he said.
Members of Big Brothers Big Sisters met at Rookies Thursday night for a meet and greet designed to continue to get the word out about the organization in Henderson. And there will be more gatherings in the coming months, he said.
Scott said the name of it—“…of Southwestern Indiana”—implies that the organization does not serve Henderson. That’s not the case.
“We are very much here in Henderson County and very much invested in the kids in Henderson County,” Scott said.
Currently, there are 11 matches in the county; the goal is to reach 100, officials said Thursday evening. Additionally, Scott said eventually he wants the organization to expand into Webster and Union counties, areas where he also worked in the past as a school administrator and also where he knows children need positive influences.
For now, Big Brothers Big Sisters is working to grow—that means growing financially, growing programs and growing the number of volunteers, Scott said.
Expanding and pairing more children is important, especially in light of statistics Scott shared. He said nationally one out of every three children report not having a positive influence in their lives. Using 2020 United States Census data—and if that stat holds true locally—it means that more than 2,000 children aged birth to 14 in Henderson County don’t have a mentor in their lives.
That’s worrisome for Scott, who cited the influence of the web and social media and the paradox of being able to connect with virtually anyone worldwide and yet people and children “are more isolated than ever before.”
He also said that children who are a little brother or sister end up earning $300,000-$500,000 more in their lifetime then if they didn’t participate in the program.
And, a $1investment in the program yields $3 return to the community, Scott said.
Program officials are currently working with Henderson County High School trying to find students who are interested in mentoring students at North Middle School, Scott said.
They’ve also met with elementary school officials, and Scott said a dream of his is to get local businesses that are nearby schools to sponsor schools, meaning employees of a business would visit the nearby school once a week to eat lunch with students.
Those interested in joining can go to mentoringkids.org. To become a “Big,” start by clicking on the “Volunteer” tab. For a parent or guardian to get a “Big” for their child, start by clicking on “Get a Big.”
“Bigs” are asked to make a one year commitment and meet with their “little” three or four times each month, said Heather Hicks, the director of enrollment and recruitment.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana is also pushing a donation drive. Scott said he’d like to get 1,000 people to donate $5 monthly.
Scan the QR code below to access that information.
