Bobcat students mentor littles in community

Jul 15 2009 - 2:12pm | Megan Holt

Texas State students looked on proudly as their “little brothers” and “little sisters” received scholarships to help fund their future college education.

Bobcat Bigs is a Texas State program in its first year offered to students who wish to reach out and “adopt” a younger sibling in the San Marcos community. Students work along side Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas (BBBS) to be matched with elementary, middle and high school students.

“(Bobcat Bigs) help support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas by providing match events for the ‘littles’ and through fundraising and being mentors,” said Earl Moseley, coordinator of campus activities, in an e-mail.

According to Moseley, about 20 Texas State students participated in Bobcat Bigs this year.

“This program is important because it mainly gives the kids another role model, which is something they may not get at home,” said Chris Murray, pre-physical therapy senior and BBBS Big. “Most kids in the program are from single parent families, so it gives them a male role model to look up to.”

Melanie Chasteen, BBBS vice president of marketing and communication, said the program is a one-to-one mentoring program where students are paired with adults to form healthy relationships.

“We have studies that show (how) our mentoring helps kids graduate and go to college,” Chasteen said.

The BBBS Web site entails that kids who are involved in the program are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol and 52 percent less likely to skip school.

Murray said the program is a one-year commitment. He and his little, a middle-school aged student named Christopher, have recently passed the one-year marker and still remain friends who occasionally hang out, call or text message each other.

“We go bowling, play basketball and go to the river,” Christopher said. “(Chris) is the main reason why I want to go to college because I see him and what he is doing and I want to do it too.”

Christopher wants to go to college to study business and open his own bakery.

“I always wanted to be a mentor,” said Diandra DeLoach, microbiology senior and BBBS Big. “I applied, interviewed and met (my “little”) Dominique. We instantly hit it off.”

“At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be, and she helped me realize what I can do,” Dominique said. “I want to be a nurse or a doctor.”

Dominique’s twin sister, Danielle, is also a little in the BBBS program. She and her big go out to eat, shop and hang out together about four times a month.

“(My big) tells me to just do what I want to do and never give up,” Danielle said. “I want to do hair, like cosmetology.”

DeLoach said if kids did not have college role models to look up to, it would be different. The college students give kids a goal to work toward and realize it is possible for them to go to college.

“Some kids think people don’t care,” DeLoach said. “We can talk to them and connect to them. In Dominique’s case, she has a twin sister. They do everything together — live together, go to school together, have the same friends — I am a friend and someone away from her sister that is all hers.”

BBBS recently held its 23rd anniversary scholarship program on June 28. Twelve Hays County youth received scholarships.

“Any kid who has been matched for one year and who is 12 years and older is promised a scholarship when they join Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Aileen Hays, Hays County BBBS regional manager. “Basically, we promise the students a $2,000 scholarship to a college or vocational school if they graduate from high school.”

Hays said universities, such as Texas State and University of Texas, will match BBBS scholarships when students enroll.

“When I got the scholarship, I felt good because now, I have the option to go to college,” Christopher said. “$2,000 is a lot.”
Chasteen said the program is a good way for Texas State students to show kids the importance of an education.

“The kids in our program have someone they look up to and aspire to be like, and at the very least, be encouraged that they can achieve, be successful and go to college (to) get a degree,” Moseley said.

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