Bigs In Schools A partnership between Big Brothers

Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and the School District of Polk County.

Polk County

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Mentoring, by definition… The Florida Department of Education (DOE) has

embraced the following operational definition for mentoring:

“ A mentor is a caring person, either an adult or an older youth, giving a specified period of time to a youth in Florida’s schools or through a coordinated out-of-school, specified mentoring program. A mentor volunteers to work with a youth to help him/her succeed academically or in life, through tutoring, aid in goal-setting, counseling, advising and/or educating either one-to-one or in a small group setting.”

(Office of Family and Community Outreach/DOE and the Governor's Mentoring Initiative Office 12/2003)

Big Brothers Big Sisters Mission:

“To help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with measurable impact.”

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A history of success: Big Brothers Big Sisters launched its School Based

Mentoring Initiative with DOE in 1999 aiming to reach academically under-performing children. Utilizing our hallmark one-to-one mentoring program and our network of professionally supported, screened and trained mentors, we have provided academic and social/emotional support to 1548 Polk County schoolchildren during the last nine years.

In the 2007-2008 school year, 271 children were provided Big Brothers or Big Sisters in 17 partnership schools across the county (a 10% increase over last year).

Twenty students from Polk County high schools volunteered to serve as Big Brothers or Big Sisters to children in nearby elementary schools. Participating high schools were Lake Region and Lake Wales.

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Babson Park Chain of Lakes Crystal Lake Dixieland Garner Gibbons Street Highland City Hillcrest Janie Howard Wilson

Jesse Keene Lime Street Oscar J. Pope Pinewood Polk Avenue Southwest Spook Hill Wagner

BBBS/Partner Schools

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Average Level of ImprovementPolk County Bigs In Schools

July 2007 - June 2008

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

TOTAL CONFIDENCE TOTAL COMPETENCE TOTAL CARING

% Worse

% No Change

% Better

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The Bigs In School program provides solid outcomes:

97% of the children mentored by Big Brothers Big Sisters improved or maintained academic performance.

95% improved or maintained school attendance.

96% improved behavioral evaluations.

96% were promoted to the next grade level.

88% of the children mentored by Big Brothers Big Sisters in Polk County increased in levels of self-confidence

An Investment Resulting in a Solution…

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Changes in Confidence IndicatorsPolk County Bigs In Schools 2007-2008

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Self-confidence

Able toexpressfeelings

Can makedecisions

Has interestsor hobbies

Personalhygiene,

appearance

Sense of thefuture

% Worse % No Change % Better

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Changes in Competence IndicatorsPolk County Bigs In Schools 2007-2008

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Uses s

choo

l res

ourc

es

Academ

ic pe

rform

ance

Attitude

towar

d sc

hool

School

prepar

edne

ss

Class

partic

ipatio

n

Class

room

beh

avior

% Worse

% No Change

% Better

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Changes in Caring IndicatorsPolk County Bigs In Schools 2007-2008

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Shows trusttoward you

Respects othercultures

Relationshipwith family

Relationshipwith peers

Relationshipwith other

adults

% Worse

% No Change

% Better

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Dollar Value of BBBS ResourcesBig Brothers Big Sisters Volunteer Hours 5,691

Value per Hour* $19.51

Total Value of Volunteer Support Through BBBS $111,031.41

Countywide in-kind contributions & local matching funds $86,509.00

Program ValueProgram Value $197,540.41$197,540.41

*Source: www.independentsector.org

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Demographics; Polk Children Served

115

156

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Males Females

92 95

29

17

38

0102030405060708090

100

62

170

39

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Age 5-8 Age 9-11 Age 12-14

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Proven, turn-key efficient system that is cost-effective and reliable (average cost of a match is $1000 per year)

Builds, supports, and maintains partnerships between schools, teachers, counselors and children

Designates a local case management team in every school

Recruits, screens, and trains volunteers with safety in mind

Handles day-to-day oversight to ensure smooth operation and monitor program quality as well as student progress: oversees matches, support teachers

Provides reports and updates on student achievement

BBBS: Reliable Program Management

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