We Are Sisters (Somos Hermanas) or Brothers

Betty White, Service Learning Director
by Betty White, Service Learning Director

Our sixteen senior brothers and sisters were honored Tuesday morning at the annual Big Brothers Big Sisters breakfast at the Renaissance Hotel.  As Mayor Karl Dean extolled the virtues and rewards of being a Big (as they are so affectionately called), our seniors were personally given a shoutout by site placement supervisor Megan McGuire.  
“University School of Nashville this year has 60 bigs who give freely of their time each week to mentor a child at Carter Lawrence Magnet School or Fall Hamilton Enhanced Option School.”  

A highlight of the breakfast was the performance of an original song by Ashtan Towles ’15 and her little sister, Roberta.   “We are sisters; somos hermanas…” they began, accompanied by Isabella Christianson Galina ’15. 

The Mid-Regional Breakfast is actually a fundraiser for the Tennessee organization, but the USN senior Bigs are invited every year as a thank you for their years of service and commitment to the organization.
 
USN is the only school which has two chapters, one at Carter Lawrence and one at Fall Hamilton. All of the students have selected to become a big brother or sister because of their love for children.  Kellon Patey ’15 stated, “Being a big means making the commitment to enable someone else’s day to become better, academically, socially and emotionally; not just the day, but also the week, the month, the year."  Kellon speaks from experience, having served as big brother for the same little brother now for the third consecutive year.  "I really have enjoyed watching my little sister come out of her shell, not only with me, but also with her peers," Kelly McHugh commented.  Isabella added, "It's so good to be hugged and to give a hug back, just by walking into the room."    

“The ongoing relationship is what makes the difference,” Megan stated, “and that is why we ask our bigs to commit to at least two years.” 
 
The USN Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter began, as many of our high school programs do, from the initiative of a student.  Nine years ago Avery Durnan returned from summer vacation having heard of the mentoring program and felt it was just the right match for USN.  After researching the requirements, meeting with school officials, and creating a group of interested students, our BBBS chapter began with eight students the first year.  That small number doubled the second year and doubled again the next.  Today we have sixty students actively mentoring with several more waiting for space to open up.  (The schools just can’t accommodate more than thirty at a time.)
 
Big Brothers Big Sisters is celebrating its 45th year after its inception as Buddies of Nashville, founded by a group of men who felt that some young boys in our community needed male role models.  Today the Middle Tennessee organization is a part of the larger BBBS one.  “For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people." See the website.  

The application process at USN for Big Brothers Big Sisters begins in March with students attending an informational meeting if they are interested in being a part of this program. During that time the senior leadership team explains the responsibilities and distributes application packets for those interested which are prerequisite to interviews. 

To learn more about this program, contact Betty White, faculty advisor, or talk with one of our senior leadership team members:  Douglas Corzine, Mackenzie Myers, Matthew Jacobs, Jonathan Leeper, Alex Miller, Kellon Patey,  Annie Weimerskirch, or Caroline Zhao.
     
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.