FOUNDATIONS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTS BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS’ STEM SCHOOL BASED MENTORING PROGRAM IN CENTRAL BUCKS SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JOHN BARCLAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

JAMISON, PA – August 5, 2019 – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County is proud to announce the implementation of their School Based Mentoring (SBM) program at John Barclay Elementary School in the Central Bucks School district.
Thanks to a generous grant from Foundations Community Partnership, BBBSBC will be able to provide mentoring support to 15 Barclay Elementary school students for the 2020 school year. These 15 students will be matched one-to-one with screened Central Bucks School Districts employees and will have access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities and materials.
“We are proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County and their STEM School Based Mentoring Program at Barclay Elementary.” says Ron Bernstein, Executive Director, Foundations Community Partnership. “This program is a wonderful opportunity for young children to learn and grow in a safe environment.”

In photo L to R: Ron Bernstein,(Executive Director, Foundations Community Partnership); Becca Warren, (Intern working at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County, through a Foundations Community Partnership’s summer program) ;Rachel Kurtz (Chief Executive Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County); Rob Peterman,(Marketing & Events Manager);Jamie Betts,(Finance & Operations Manager); Erin Simmons, (Director of Program)

Principal Dr. Joseph Brereton, a current “Big Brother” with the agency’s Community Based Mentoring program approached BBBSBC about the possibility of bringing the innovative School Based Mentoring model to Barclay. Recognizing a shortage in available mentors, he worked with BBBSBC to recruit mentors from a pool of school district employees. “There are so many wonderful employees who support our school district’s mission, but do not work directly with children. We are very grateful to Foundations Community Partnership and BBBSBC for their commitment to connect Barclay students with these incredibly positive role models.”

“The specific goals of the program is to identify and strengthen the student’s development assets.” says Erin Simmons, Director of Program at BBBSBC. “These students will be referred based on their identified needs by school personnel and interviewed by BBBSBC’s Enrollment and Match team. After assessing the child’s needs and goals, each child will be paired with a trained and screened volunteer as their “Big.” We hope this program will be used as a benchmark for other districts who might be interested in introducing the STEM school-based mentoring program to their schools.”

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County (BBBSBC) has been providing children facing adversity with professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships since 1963. Affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Bucks County agency has been nationally recognized for providing the highest quality programs. Located in Jamison, Pa., BBBSBC is a donor supported, volunteer driven organization dedicated to helping Bucks County youth achieve their full potential. Children matched with mentors gain greater self-confidence, are less likely to engage in risky behaviors—like using alcohol and drugs—and create higher goals for their future. There are over 200 kids on their waiting list and 70% of them are boys. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, mentoring is not about saving a child, but rather about igniting the power and promise of youth. For more information about BBBSBC please call 215-343-8260 or visit www.bbbsbc.org

About Foundations Community Partnership (taken from their website)
Foundations Community Partnership (FCP) is a nonprofit foundation formed to improve the quality of life for special needs children, youth and families in Bucks County. We endeavor to establish collaborative partnerships linking public agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, colleges and young adults within our community. We award scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrate excellent grades and interest in community service. We provide grants and technical assistance to support nonprofit human service organizations. We enhance professional development through state-of-the-art workshops and education.

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