Post by WeNeed3 on Apr 17, 2009 8:04:45 GMT -5
Mentoring program brings kids together
April 17, 2009
By JANE DONAHUE For The Sun
When the school bell rings on Monday afternoons, it is not the end of the day for B.J. White. White, along with 14 other high school students, ventures to an elementary school in Naperville, where the classrooms are small but the lessons are big.
The students are participating in Bridges, a mentoring program between Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora and V. Blanche Graham Elementary School in Naperville. The club pairs high school students with elementary students "for the purpose of promoting stability, support, friendship and community," said Penny Ose, Naperville resident and third-grade teacher.
Ose described how in 2007 her class was delighted by a weekly visit from White, a Neuqua Valley High School student.
"My class was intrigued by B.J. and really enjoyed the time they spent with him," Ose said.
With White as her inspiration, Ose began networking and found a club at Waubonsie Valley that wanted to be a mentoring partner. Together with co-worker Jennifer Michaels and Waubonsie Valley teachers Stephanie Cassa and Lauren Kato, Bridges began in fall 2008.
"The rest is history," Ose said.
"We play games and do puzzles, and we make art. I really like that you can meet lots of friends," said Alex Pilling, a third-grade student.
Recent tasks include writing letters to soldiers and making cards for a local nursing home.
For the high school students, including White, working with children gives them a chance to explore a future career in education. At the same time, they are forming professional relationships with teachers and learning lessons that can't be taught in a classroom.
"We motivate each other," said KaBree Braggs, a sophomore from Waubonsie. "When you make a commitment to these kids, you have to stick to it."
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/schools/1530755,6_5_NA17_BRIDGES_S1.article
April 17, 2009
By JANE DONAHUE For The Sun
When the school bell rings on Monday afternoons, it is not the end of the day for B.J. White. White, along with 14 other high school students, ventures to an elementary school in Naperville, where the classrooms are small but the lessons are big.
The students are participating in Bridges, a mentoring program between Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora and V. Blanche Graham Elementary School in Naperville. The club pairs high school students with elementary students "for the purpose of promoting stability, support, friendship and community," said Penny Ose, Naperville resident and third-grade teacher.
Ose described how in 2007 her class was delighted by a weekly visit from White, a Neuqua Valley High School student.
"My class was intrigued by B.J. and really enjoyed the time they spent with him," Ose said.
With White as her inspiration, Ose began networking and found a club at Waubonsie Valley that wanted to be a mentoring partner. Together with co-worker Jennifer Michaels and Waubonsie Valley teachers Stephanie Cassa and Lauren Kato, Bridges began in fall 2008.
"The rest is history," Ose said.
"We play games and do puzzles, and we make art. I really like that you can meet lots of friends," said Alex Pilling, a third-grade student.
Recent tasks include writing letters to soldiers and making cards for a local nursing home.
For the high school students, including White, working with children gives them a chance to explore a future career in education. At the same time, they are forming professional relationships with teachers and learning lessons that can't be taught in a classroom.
"We motivate each other," said KaBree Braggs, a sophomore from Waubonsie. "When you make a commitment to these kids, you have to stick to it."
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/schools/1530755,6_5_NA17_BRIDGES_S1.article