CAMDEN — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine (BBBSMM)is looking for responsible, fun, and dedicated high school students to volunteer as Big Brothers and Big Sisters to elementary school ‘Littles’ at its school-based mentoring sites this school year. School-based matches meet once a week at the ‘Littles’ elementary schools for about an hour a week after school during the school year, and the days vary by location. The matches take part in activities like sports, arts and crafts, board games, reading books, doing puzzles and everything in between.

Professional BBBSMM staff and School-Based Coordinators provide constant, on-site support to matches to ensure child safety and help the Big/Little matches form a trusting bond with each other.Big Brothers Big Sisters opportunities are open to students grades 9-11 at: Lincoln Academy, serving Littles from Great Salt Bay and Nobleboro Central School; Medomak Valley High School, serving Littles at Miller Elementary and Warren Community School; Oceanside East and West, serving students from South School; and Camden Hills Regional High School, serving students at Appleton Village, Lincolnville Central, Hope Elementary, and Camden Rockport Elementary School.

Bigs in the program see the huge impact they make in their Little's life by being there each week, and the Littles benefit from having an older, positive role model and a friend they can count on. Ashley Pezanowski, a 2015 graduate of Oceanside East served four years as a Big Sister, and says, “Becoming a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program was an honor. As an only child I have always wanted to have a sibling yet was never given the chance; this gave me one!

Ashely continues, “My favorite part of being a Big was having this opportunity to get to spend time and learn about my Little. I loved watching the relationships progress as the years flew by. I hope that I have shown them a caring, positive role model. Big Brothers Big Sisters has been meaningful to me because I was given the chance to have changed at least one of my Little’s lives.”

Interested high school students should request a Big Brothers Big Sisters application from their Guidance office, or contact Sarah Woodman, School-Based Manager, at 207-236-2227 or email her at:  sarah@bbbsmidmaine.org.