UP students spend time volunteering for mentorship program
By Maureen Inouye
Junior Karen Garaventa has two younger sisters. One, she's genetically related to - the other is her "little sister" through the Big Brother Big Sister mentorship program.
UP has the largest number of Big Brother Big Sister mentors for younger children in the state of Oregon. More than 30 UP students meet with children in the North Portland community at least once a week as part of the program.
"My Little is great. She's extremely intelligent and strong-willed," Garaventa said. She has been meeting with her 'little' Deena for the past two years. Deena is 15 and attends Roosevelt High School.
Normally, UP students are only paired with elementary or middle school students. Some, like Garaventa, can then choose to continue the relationship into the child's high school years.
"I know Deena's mom, her grandma - it's almost like a family relationship," Garaventa said.
To become a 'Big,' students fill out an application, undergo a background check, and go through an interview.
"We don't have a student coordinator this year - but we'll get students in touch with people at the organization," said Kacy Keippela, the program assistant for the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership.
"They have to make sure you'll be a good influence," junior communication major Whitney Krebs explained. Krebs was a Big for two years, but stopped this year because she thought was going to transfer.
"The interview is to make sure you get paired with the right Little," Keippela said. The whole process takes a week and a half to two weeks.
The 'Littles' also volunteer themselves.
"They're usually kids who don't spend time with their parents, or don't like school," Krebs said. She feels it is important for kids to have people to look up to, and have role models.
Once paired with a Little, both Big and Little can begin to meet regularly.
There are two types of mentoring available. For the most common type, UP students visit the children's school for about two hours each week.
Krebs' Little, Andreka, was 12 and attended Portsmouth Middle School when the two were paired. They played basketball, did crafts and cooked together. The two even had a paint fight, with finger paints, Kreb recalls.
"It's really fun - I liked it a lot. We can get away, be kids for a while," she said.
The second type of mentoring is more community based, with students meeting their Littles on the weekend for activities.
"This is better for students living in Portland - they can still meet their Littles over the summer," Keippela said. Many students who continue to meet their Little once the student is out of middle school meet as part of the community rather than the school-based program.
"We go to basketball games, we have coffee together," Garaventa said of her time with Deena. The two talk a lot about boys, clothes - things most teenage girls are focused on.
"Deena has a lot of goals. I think she likes being with someone who has already fulfilled some of those goals, like going to college," Garaventa said.
The older students are expected to be good examples, but the program is designed mostly to ensure that the Littles have someone to talk to about their problems, and have fun with - the only expectation on either side is to enjoy each other's company.
"I might be the one consistent thing in her life, but really I'm just hanging out with a friend," Garaventa said.
Both types of mentoring, in the schools and out, seem to benefit the UP students just as much as the younger children.
"Everyone should be a Big. I can be an example to someone who needs a little direction," Garaventa said. She said the program has meant a lot to her.
"Just being able to help one person is special," Krebs said. She encourages everyone to be a Big for a special Little.
