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The Value Of Mentoring – One Volunteer’s Story

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Note:  this is a guest post written by Nora Cordrey

As young people around the Tri-State and across the nation prepare for the rite of passage known as high school graduation, take a moment to think about the ones who had to overcome incredible odds to get there. In many families, going to college is a given. Other teens have never known an adult who finished high school and chose to continue their education. To many, that sends a less than positive message about the value of education.

As a volunteer with Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, I’ve spent years mentoring Jamaysha. We met when she was 9—wide-eyed and full of spirit, but also a victim of a world she didn’t create. Her father died before she was born, she seldom sees her mother, her guardian passed away when Jamaysha was 14, and she’s been enrolled in five school districts because of constantly having to move.

Through it all, as her “Big Sister,” I have encouraged her to stay focused on her school and to take advantage of every opportunity.  My husband and I learned of the Upward Bound program which assists first generation college-bound students with tutoring, enrichment activities and developing leadership skills. Once she was accepted into Upward Bound, Jamaysha committed to and has participated in the program for the last four years. This involvement, and her hard work, has helped prepare her for college. In the Fall, she will attend Cincinnati State, studying culinary arts.

My “Little Sister” is graduating from high school, one of the few members of her family to do so. She ranks 34th in a class of 220 with a grade point average of 3.13. She’s an inspiration. Not content to sit on the sidelines, and overcoming transportation issues, she found a way to participate in several extra-curricular activities and hold a job. She has learned the value and pleasure of giving back to the community and we have volunteered together at charity events. I believe Jamaysha will someday be an incredible mentor herself.

I am not Jamaysha’s only mentor and join teachers past and present, our Big Brothers Big Sisters case manager, the director of Upward Bound, Jamaysha’s family and others in congratulating her and all the other young people who are overcoming circumstances to find success.


As adults, we have a responsibility to the young people in our community. There are many more Tri-State children who need mentors, who need guides as they head into the future. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati is to help children become successful in school and in life. Surely that’s what we all want and, surely, what all children deserve.

Consider becoming a mentor today.

Cincy Story Mural Unveils Project

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Cincy Story Mural Design Team

Several months I told you about a project bringing Cincinnati’s diverse community together through written and visual stories. That project – Cincy Story Mural – is a between Starfire Council, DIY Printing, Public Allies, and Cincy.com, with artist Krista Brinkmeyer at its helm. And this Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Starfire, after months of dedicated work, collaboration, artistry and mindfulness, the murals will be unveiled. (Starfire is located at 5030 Oaklawn Drive; Cincinnati, OH 45227) Everyone is invited!

The four murals will be installed at four locations:
Coalition for the Homeless, Over the Rhine
Norwood City Schools, Norwood
Santa Maria, East Price Hill
Starfire, Madisonville

About Cincy Story Mural:

The visionary behind the project, Krista is her late 20’s, and has always had a passion for expressing herself through storytelling – sometimes by capturing moments in photographs and sometimes through written word. She also has a knack for making friends, an important quality for any role let alone the role of project director.

Cincy Story Mural used harvesting events – get togethers where the public has been invited to share photos, videos, narratives, and drawings to help tell the story of their unique corner of the world in four murals.

20 Foster Children Attend Cincinnati Reds Thanks To One Simple Wish

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In Trenton, New Jersey there is a very special organization that is quietly making simple wishes happen for foster children and vulnerable families. One Simple Wish recently made a trip to Greater Cincinnati to take 20 foster kids of Lighthouse Youth Services to a Cincinnati Reds game. What a wonderful gift that no doubt has given some children with lots of potential, a lasting memory.

Cincinnati Students Showing Their Character Values

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Some 1000 Cincinnati school children are proudly telling the world they are being the best they can be. They’re wearing t-shirts that they earned for demonstrating positive character values.

The incentive project was a partnership between TSC Apparel and the Character Council of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and Rees E. Price Academy, Ethel M. Taylor Academy, and Westwood School, all Cincinnati Public Schools who have adopted school wide character education programs to create a safe and positive culture for learning.

The t-shirts carry a character message and artwork designed by the students themselves.  A Westwood student came up with the theme, “Being the best at getting better!” Similarly, Ethel M Taylor shirts include a student-designed message, “Others wish for it, we work for it!”

Students earn t-shirts through their demonstration of kindness, respect, and positive behavior.  At Taylor Academy, chosen students are recognized monthly for their character in a ceremony that is broadcast internally to students and staff.  At right are Taylor students of the month.

How Woodfill Elementary School Students Are Helping Others

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Great for them!

How thoughtful for these third grade students at Woodfill Elementary School to realize the loneliness of long term hospitalized children who can not have their family at their side. With the help of their teachers, and a little research, they found Josh Cares, a non-profit organization that offers loving support to seriously ill kids  when a parent or family member cannot be there. Josh Cares funds professionally trained Child Life Fellows who provide consistent comfort, care and companionship for a child whose family would be by their sides if they could.  The Woodfill students created a skit in which they role-played the responsibilities of the Child Life Fellow in the life of a child patient and charged admission to see it. They also held a bake sale.

All in all, their project raised $579.05. And not only that, it taught these creative third graders an important life lesson…about caring and responsibility.  I like those kinds of lessons.

I also want to mention this service learning project was made possible by Children, Inc.

 

 

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