RHS Students To Receive One-to-One Mentoring as Part of Four-Year Pilot

Special to the Journal

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts, (BBBSEM), the state’s leading one-to-one mentoring program for youth, is teaming up with Revere Public Schools to launch Big Futures Mentoring. The new four-year pilot program to begin at the top of the 2023-2024 school year will match Revere High School freshman with adult volunteers who will build mentoring relationships and leverage experiential learning to prepare them for post-secondary success over the course of their high school experience.

 “Revere High School is putting the immediate needs of its students first by allowing our organization to establish a deep partnership within the school community,” says Terrance McCarron, BBBSEM’s Chief Program Officer. “Students with a mentor have been shown to have improved attendance, improved academic performance, stronger peer relationships and healthier attitudes and behaviors. One more dedicated support can be the difference. The Big Futures Mentoring program offers high schools the power of mentorship, packaged for teens and designed to complement class time, not compete with it, to help youth reach their fullest potential.”

Big Futures Mentoring, a spinoff of BBBSEM’s existing technology-enriched Mentor 2.0, program, will take a more hybrid approach. Each grade level will concentrate on different skill sets. Freshman and sophomores will focus on relationship building and experiential learning through weekly online communication and monthly in-person meetings with additional game nights, panel discussions and other fun events throughout the school year. Juniors will hone on college and career readiness and post-secondary pathways, participating in workshops, competitions, and job shadowing experiences with select corporate partners coupled with structured reflection activities on different pathways. In their final year, seniors will meet in cohorts based on their pathway of choice, to review key milestones to succeed in each path, such as resume writing and FAFSA completion, and participate in group college tours and internships opportunities.

“We are incredibly excited about this opportunity to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts to bring the Big Futures Mentoring Program to Revere High School,” says Dr. John Perella, Revere’s Director of Youth Engagement and Success and former Revere High School Principal. “We know the uniquely powerful ways mentorship supports and empowers youth while strengthening community – this has never been more needed than today. Here in the City of Revere, we are committed to supporting our youth in every way possible. I look forward to watching our initial partnership at RHS blossom into a deep community collaborative.”

“At Revere High School, we are proud of the work the 9th Grade Academy Team does to already provide a strong transition experience for 9th graders into high school. This program will only expand on that experience.  We cannot wait to begin this work,” adds Revere High School Principal Christopher Bowen.

As for the adults who volunteer for BBBSEM, mentors often report getting just as much or more out of their mentoring relationships. The Big Futures Mentoring Program offers busier adults a more flexible commitment with the ability to build relationships conveniently and sustainably while still making an impact. The program also offers local employers more opportunities for employees to get more entrenched in their community while building pipelines of young talent in their industries.

“The Big Futures Mentoring program gives local employers and their employees the opportunity to invest in their communities,” says Rosemary Sheehan, current BBBSEM Board Chair and Chief Human Resources Officer at Massachusetts General Brigham. “Through youth mentoring, professionals can provide the knowledge, skills and supports to help high school students thrive and advance on their educational and career pathway.”

Not only is the program designed to give students the support they need to pursue jobs they love and earn a livable wage, but the structure works toward diversifying trades industries, creating greater access to jobs for BIPOC communities and women. Each mentor will offer accountability for their mentee, so they thrive in high school, graduate, and confidently make post-secondary plans.

“We are incredibly excited to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts,” says Dr. Dianne Kelly, Revere Public Schools Superintendent. “The Mentor 2.0 program will be a game-changer for our high school students.”

“By nurturing these deeper connections to the community at-large though a program like Big Futures, we are supporting the very students who have so much to give to our community,” adds City of Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo. “These are lessons you just don’t get in a normal classroom setting – I’m optimistic about the success of this program for our youth and I’m grateful for folks like John Perella and Chris Bowen who work every day to ensure these programs get to the finish line. Our students will only benefit from this partnership.”

In its 74th year, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 20,000 matches and will serve nearly 4,000 matches this year. For more information, to become a volunteer or to register your children, visit: www.emassbigs.org.