Make the Promise to Volunteer

This appeared in the September 2010 Excelsior.

When I was in college, I was a big brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. My little brother, 11 years old when we first met, was a friendly, athletic kid who lived in the New Haven, Connecticut, projects with his mother and his little brother.

We alternated time between the university and his neighborhood, with sports, homework, and mentoring occupying most of our time. I remember the day that I took him to see the Knicks play the 76ers, his favorite team and the world champions with Dr. J. and Company in New York City. When his mom and I told him where we were going, the look of surprise and delight was priceless.

Years later and just a few weeks ago, my little brother, now 6’4” and not so little — or young — anymore, e-mailed me. Our catch-up phone conversations have been great. My little brother (hard to drop the thought, even though I’m the little brother at this point) is doing well. He is raising a family after a bumpy ride in early adulthood and has gotten involved in the church, the mentoring of at-risk youth, and substance abuse counseling of those in need. I was delighted that he took the initiative, after so much moving on both our parts, to track me down.

The Kalamazoo Mentoring and Tutoring Advisory Group, composed of 29 youth-serving organizations and facilitated by Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo, is currently campaigning to recruit volunteers to mentor and tutor Kalamazoo young people. The campaign, entitled “Make the Promise to Volunteer,” has as its goal the recruitment of significant numbers of people who can provide support for our children. The vision of this group is that every child in Kalamazoo has a relationship with a caring person who supports his/her academic and social-emotional success.

Communities in Schools will help match your time availability and interest with a child’s needs: in a classroom or not, during school or in an after-school program, in a tutoring capacity or a mentoring role.

There is little that is more important in the life and upbringing of a child than a caring adult. Our ability to help a child reach his or her promise/Promise increases dramatically if that child has a caring, responsible adult in his or her life.

To learn more about “Make the Promise to Volunteer,” write, call or visit the web site: Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo, 125 W. Exchange Place, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007; (269) 337-1601; www.kcis.us.

I got so much from my work with my little brother: knowledge of a world previously unknown to me, which would help influence my choice of careers, and more importantly a sense of making a contribution in the life of a young man. Reader, you too can have the experience of being influential in the life of a young person. Will you consider a role in the life of one of our students?

Michael F. Rice, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Kalamazoo Public Schools