BELOIT Program is big with pupils

The program starts in the summer and goes full steam in the fall.
By TRAVIS REED
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BELOIT -- Wednesday was the last day of school at Beloit Elementary, but several pupils there were just getting started making friends.
After months of waiting, the elementary pupils met their partners in the Big Brother-Big Sister Program for the first time.
The "Bigs" -- mostly seniors from West Branch High School -- and "Littles" shared pizza, soda and stories, and drew up plans for what they will do together this summer.
Looking forward to events
David Fonner, who will be a seventh-grader next year, talked with big brother Brandon Rockwell about their mutual interests in sports and being outdoors. Rockwell said he's never been hunting before, and his planned trip with Fonner would be the first time he's ever fired a gun.
Fonner said he would take Rockwell out to hunt groundhogs and crows, because they are "about the only things in season," with his .410-gauge shotgun.
"It's going to be quite an experience for me," Rockwell said.
Brandon Fisher, a fifth-grader, wants to play football and go fishing with his big brother, Drew Parker, and big sister, Amber Metzgar, both 17.
They've already determined that Fisher will have to bait the hooks, because Metzgar doesn't touch worms. After they reel in catches, he will also have to take fish off the hooks, because Parker doesn't know how.
Fisher smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and said he's happy to do the work. He has two brothers at home, but he said they never go fishing together because, "They don't like to."
Getting them together
Peg Kinnick, a Beloit Elementary teacher, said the meeting was the culmination of several months' effort. Before the pupils met, parents were notified and had to approve, and the "Bigs" were interviewed, fingerprinted and background-checked.
Beloit Elementary School teachers and officials chose pupils as "Littles" who seemed to need special attention, and officials from the Mahoning Valley Chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters program interviewed the kids to help determine the best matches.
Scott Taylor, director of Big Brothers-Big Sisters, which is based in Girard, said the process typically takes six to eight months.
The Bigs and Littles will be paired for an entire year.
"They'll do stuff together this summer, and then it'll be full-on next year," Kinnick said.
All of the partners are going to Pioneer Waterpark on Aug. 25. Monthly lunches are planned for next school year, and potential trips to fairs and Cleveland Scrappers and Canton Coyotes baseball games are in the works.
The program is funded by part of a grant from Home Savings and Loan.
treed@vindy.com