Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA Celebrates Beverly Resident

BEVERLY, Mass. – April is National Volunteer Month. To celebrate, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) is honoring Aka Lauenstein Denjongpa, 39, of Beverly, one of the hundreds of volunteers for the state’s leading one-to-one youth mentoring program. The nonprofit partners with under-resourced families to provide children, referred to as Little Brothers and Little Sisters, with caring adult mentors, referred to as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, who help them reach their fullest potential.

With research and proven outcomes at its core, BBBSEM creates matches based on shared interests, geography and personality and serves as a consistent resource for Bigs, Littles and their families. The organization serves as a bridge between communities and community partners, helping to address larger social issues, such as race and education gaps.

As the Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships at BBBSEM, Denjongpa understands the power of mentoring from both the provider and recipient perspective. In his role with the agency, he works to build relationships and share stories with individuals and organizations who support the agency’s year-round mentoring programs. This fall, he was matched with his mentee, a sophomore at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, through Mentor 2.0, BBBSEM’s technology-enriched youth mentoring program, which directly targets high school students. The duo connects virtually and frequently discuss challenges and pressures his mentee faces in school and in the workforce as an English-language learner and his dreams for the future.

“My mentee and I are both navigating the world from a non-traditional lens,” says Denjongpa, who grew up on Massachusetts’ North Shore but frequently summered in the Himalayas with family. “We talk about our experiences, the pressures of supporting family and how to navigate high school and post-secondary education into a career. Spanish is his first language and just recently he messaged me to celebrate crushing his ELA class, a big victory that aligns to industry needs for bi-lingual workers.”

Launched in 2016, Mentor 2.0 is a national Big Brothers Big Sisters and iMentor program. The curriculum is designed to help students develop the knowledge, skills and mindset to navigate high school, create an ambitious individual post-secondary college or career plan and successfully execute that plan. Mentors help mentees to develop those skills and share industry knowledge within their trade. Students attend weekly classes taught by a BBBSEM Mentor 2.0 Coordinator embedded in the school, which are augmented by regular assignments and communication between mentors and students through an online portal. Monthly in-person events (virtual during the pandemic) are also held to strengthen the bond between students and their mentors.

Denjongpa’s mentoring relationship is one example of protective measures that adults can take as mentors to help minimize risk factors, such as lack of motivation, anxiety, stress and isolation, that are threatening children’s mental health and academic success. A national study of 950 youth from eight Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies showed that positive relationships between Littles and their Bigs have a direct and measurable impact on children’s lives. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ matches consistently spend more time together, and continue as a match for longer periods, than those in other mentoring programs. Results also showed Bigs help Littles learn right from wrong, make better life choices, do better in school and advance to the next grade level.

“It’s all about learning and staying connected,” says Denjongpa. “Recently, I read how humans tend to polarize and be attracted to commonness and yet we benefit most from being in situations of perceived difference. Our communities have so much to share and learn from each other and starting this on a one-to-one interaction is something that provides incredible confidence, empathy and connection. We need the public’s participation to do that. The more volunteer mentors we have, the more students we can serve.”

The agency welcomes youth and adults of all races, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older and be able to commit a few hours a few times a month for at least a year and have a passion for positively impacting a young person’s life.

In its 70th year, BBBSEM has created and served more than 20,000 matches. The nonprofit is now enrolling and matching Littles and Bigs. For more information, to register your children or to become a volunteer, visit: www.emassbigs.org.

About Big Brother Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of nearly 3,000 youth annually by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor in long-term, professionally supported relationships. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is working to defend the potential of children facing adversity and ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Eastern Massachusetts by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. Throughout its 70 years, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 20,000 matches. For more information about the agency and its mission, visit www.emassbigs.org.

###