Mentoring Program Continues Under New Name

Big Brothers Big Sisters’ (BBBS) mentoring program for high school students at risk of not graduating continues for its 18^th year but with a new name and different source of funding.  Renamed the Dorie McMaster Mentoring Collaborative Program, its operational costs are being covered by individual donors instead of a state grant. 

BBBS Executive Director Gillian Ballard said the peer mentoring sessions, which began February 26; serve 30 Spring Valley High School students who meet with 30 trained Dominican College mentors for eight weeks.

“We have wonderful contacts over at Dominican College,” said Ballard, adding the college students relate well to the high school students because many of them had challenges to overcome.

The group meets for two hours every Tuesday and often has inspirational speakers. 

Ballard said McMaster, a member of the BBBS Board of Directors, was very supportive of the mentoring program.  When it lost state financial aid, several local businessmen stepped up and offered to fund it in memory of McMaster, a community and business leader who passed away in June 2012. Ballard said Kevin Francis, Doug Katz, Patrick Tung, and Barry Robbins, offered to create and sponsor the program.

“Without their support and sponsorship, the 18-year-old program would not have taken place this year due to the elimination of funding from the state of New York,” said Ballard. “It truly is a shame that in this troubling economy, where there is so much uncertainty, a program that offers tutoring/mentoring to students who truly need to improve their grades and learn to better understand that remaining in school and graduating is the only way to be fully aware of their potential, could well have been eliminated.”

The program was previously called The Rockland County Mentoring Collaborative. It typically averaged about 25 high school students for its January to May and September to December sessions. Ballard is applying for grants and hopes to obtain funding in order to continue and expand the program under its new name. 

“The program is so crucial,” said Ballard. “It is really a great service.”