LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Although it was a time to say goodbye, several dozen local students are walking away with relationships they say will last a lifetime.
The students met once a week for most of the school year, building connections that grew into something more like family. The high school seniors are part of Lima Central Catholic’s leadership program and volunteered to serve as “Bigs” to younger students through Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Ohio.
Through the mentorship program, students were paired together to learn, grow and support one another throughout the school year.
“We spent a lot of time getting to know each other, making friends, and they this year, like I said earlier, we worked on the skills of being mad and knowing how and what our "mad" feels like, if it's big, small, large, and how to deal with that,” said Trish Marshall, program coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Central Ohio. “And then other times, they just play games, and today's their final day. So they get to make letters to each other, and they get to do picture frames with their own pictures.”
Marshall said the program includes Lima Central Catholic seniors working with students at St. Rose, St. Gerard and Heritage elementary schools. Lima Senior High School culinary students also volunteer through the program at Freedom Elementary School.
As the school year comes to a close, students marked their final day together by creating keepsakes and reflecting on the bonds they formed and connections organizers say will continue to have an impact long after the program ends.
