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Mentoring program supports children

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LAKE COUNTY – Anyone passing by the “Friends Forever” sign on Main Street in Polson might wonder what it’s all about.

“We create positive change with youth and families in our communities and we do that with consistent, ongoing mentoring,” said Friends Forever Mentoring Executive Director Julia Williams.

Friends Forever Mentoring became what it is today starting in 2012 after it changed its name from Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“Our core program hasn’t changed,” she said. “We are still a nonprofit, mentoring program.”

The employees and volunteers collaborate with schools and communities to support kids, primarily by building trusting relationships.

“Our program wouldn’t work without the volunteers in our mentoring program,” Williams said.

“The work we do isn’t driven by me. It’s our staff, parents, and partnerships with schools.”

Arlee and Ronan school districts are currently enrolled in the project. And the program offers summer activities for children across Lake County and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

The mentoring program works like this: a high school student is paired with an elementary student after an extensive matching process, which is done by schoolteachers and project coordinators, involving personality considerations, the same gender, and mutual interests. Once the hard work of matching students is done, the kids get together usually once a week during school hours to participate in fun activities that foster conversation. The matches last for up to four years. “Research shows that consistent mentoring helps support youth,” she said.

Matching young kids with older kids seems to be one of the key ingredients helping to make the program a success because young children often look up to older kids. Coleman Taylor, 17, is one of the mentors in Ronan. “I remember when I was little and I dreamed of hanging out with high school kids,” he said. He volunteers his time so Riley Miler, 8, gets the chance to hang out with a high school kid.

The pair jumped up from putting figures in a bucket of sand in the elementary school to participate in a Zumba class, lead by Linda Sappington. She said the music-based fitness program allows the kids to go around the world with different dance moves inspired from hip-hop, reggaeton, Latin and African rhythms. She has worked with the kids every spring for the past four years in both schools.

Isabella White, 7, followed along during the workout. “I love dancing,” she said. She really likes that she got to dance around and have fun with her “big” Shakira Burrafato, 15. The mentors are called “bigs” while the mentees are “littles.”

Brooklyn Lozeau, 9, said she has developed a close friendship with Isidra Perez, 18. The two laughed as they tried out the dance exercises. “It makes me happy that we hang out together,” Brooklyn said. But, Brooklyn is going to miss her “big” when Isidra graduates this year, although she is also “really proud” of Isidra’s accomplishment. And Isidra knows her “little” will be in good hands. “She gets a new “big” after I graduate,” Isidra said.

In Arlee, it was family night that same day. The kids came out to play basketball, volleyball, and eat a few slices of pizza. And there, the kids all looked up to the big kids just as they did in Ronan. Troy Tewawina, 16, explained his connection to the program.

“When I was little, I was in the Big Brothers Big Sisters and I looked up to the big kids,” he said. He decided to see what the program is like as an older kid, and he found out that they have just as much fun as the younger kids. His twin brother, Trey, is also in the program and he agreed.

Williams said every high school student is asked why they want to be a big. She finds that the answer is always the same. “They say that they remember how it felt when a big came to hang out with them every week and they want to do that for another kid,” she said.

The mentors also have another similar thing to say when they finish the program. “Many say that they didn’t expect to care so much about their mentee or that they would become such true friends.”

Williams spends much of her time securing grant funding for the program and organizing local fundraisers, but with a background in teaching, she really enjoys interacting with the kids. She likes seeing them develop confidence through the program.

Her leadership skills are influenced by her Native American culture. She incorporates her background into the program including the image of two sets of moccasins on her business card, one pair for “bigs” and one for “littles.” She sees her cultural heritage as an asset to the program, although she emphasizes the importance of working with all people.

“This is about everyone coming together for our youth, families, and community,” Williams said.

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