CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Palolo Elementary second-grader Nohea Kauanui-Ohia, 6, met her Big Sister, Keiko Konoeda, for the first time last night at school. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu and the Rotary Club of Honolulu kicked off a pilot program called Site-Based Mentoring Plus. The program will connect 10 children with respective mentors who will meet once a month for activities that promote reading, learning, social and leadership skills.
|
|
10 kids meet mentors
Children found big brothers and big sisters yesterday in a program launched by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu and Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset.
"It's going good," said Matthew Kanoho, 9, a fifth-grader at Palolo Elementary School attending the meeting. "What I like about tonight is talking to a big sister."
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping children grow into responsible adults by matching them one-on-one with volunteer mentors.
The organization began the program yesterday with 10 children from Palolo Elementary School. The little siblings will meet their bigger siblings one Saturday a month until the end of this school year. During the monthly meetings, the group will embark on field trips for several hours.
The program combines the one-on-one mentoring with groups of children on school campuses.
"The new program is a kind of hybrid," said Dennis Brown, president and chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu. "With this new program, we're going to have the best of both worlds."
Palolo Elementary counselor Kalea Makaila helped select the children, ages 6 to 10, out of 255 children at the school. She based her selection on their academic and social potential, she said, adding that they will focus on future jobs and careers.
"What we're going to do is just expose them," she said.
A Big Brothers Big Sisters case worker said they wanted to start small to get it right and expand next school year.
The Sunset Rotary came up with the idea a few months ago while looking for new volunteer opportunities.
"This program can be a real cutting-edge program, and if it succeeds I can see it going to the entire district," said James Varner, district governor of the Rotary International in Hawaii.
The program will also focus on reading skills to help students reach benchmarks for the federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act.
"It's not just an outing. We want to really try and make a difference in their learning and reading," Rotary member Marco Schlesser said.
Five members of the University of Hawaii's Rotaract Club also joined in as big siblings.
"I've always wanted to have a little brother or little sister, so I'm really excited," said Leilani Takeuchi, a 27-year-old University of Hawaii student.
Takeuchi's new little brother, Cleveland Reeves, 10, was shy with a reporter but smiled widely when practicing a new secret handshake with his big sister.
"I like this program," said Cleveland's grandfather Ahm Sepety. "The way they explained it, I like it. I think this program will improve his grades."
The group's first outing will be a Dec. 16 premiere screening of "Eragon" at Ward 16 Theatres. The movie venue will be reserved for the group and will include a carnival-type atmosphere with a magician and gift bags.