Mentors make Big difference in school kids' lives

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by Amy West

Story Created: Jan 17, 2011 at 7:57 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jan 17, 2011 at 7:57 PM CDT

January is national mentoring month and there are more than 150 Big Brother Big Sister pairs in south central Nebraska. News 5 caught up with some teens that have come full circle in the program.

Big Brother Brady and his "little" Dominic spend their Monday lunch hour connecting four.

"It's great - like if you have a whole dull week this can be your fun part – just playing games," said Brady Trambly.

High schoolers Brady, Megan and Heiden are all "bigs" who used to be "littles" in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

"It's not like a sister you don't have to live with them but you see them once a week so it's something we both look forward to," said Heiden Burbach.

"It just seemed like someone actually wanted to hang out with me," said Megan Lounsbury.

This is Megan's application when she first joined the program in 2001.

"The three things that I enjoyed doing the most were sports, school and friends. That's basically the same," Lounsbury said.

She still remembers her Big Sister.

"She played basketball at the college which I thought was like the coolest thing ever. I was like, oh my gosh, I wanted to go to college I wanted to be just like her," said Lounsbury.

67 percent of adult Littles surveyed said their Big played a role in their decision to go to college – like in Megan's case.

83 percent said their Big instilled values that have guided them through life.

"Megan has also taught me to be just who I am and not act like anybody else," Cammie Steffen said.

"She's kind of cool," said Raelynn Dobrovolony.

"He's awesome. He helps me out with stuff like building my new Lego set," said Dominic Mutchler

Just one hour a week these kids know makes a "Big" difference.

The annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids sake is March 4th, 5th, 11th and 12th.

It's the program's biggest fundraiser of the year.

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