Make a difference in a child’s life — one lunch at a time
By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
For some children, lunch is the best part of the day — especially when they get a chance to visit with their lunch buddies.
Once a week at Bel Air Elementary, South Athens Elementary and — starting this year — at Athens Intermediate School, community volunteers of all ages and walks of life meet up with their assigned students in a mentoring program known simply as Lunch Buddies. In some cases, a volunteer may serve part-time by committing to every-other-week. A lunch buddy meets with his or her assigned student during lunch period (usually about 30 minutes long), during which time they may read together, play games or just talk. The important thing is the one-on-one interaction.
“It’s amazing to see how attached our volunteers can get to the children,” said Bel Air Counselor Cheri Mahan. “They may come in not certain if they can connect, and then they get really involved.”
For their part, the children love spending time with their mentors, said Mahan. “A lot of our kids don’t have extended family, and this helps fill that gap,” she added. “It helps them feel more positive about school also.”
Students are recommended for the program either by a parent or a teacher for a variety of reasons. The child may simply need adult male interaction if there is no father figure in the home; they may be very shy or exhibiting some behavior problems or have experienced some difficult situation. There are any number of reasons a student can benefit from the attention of a mentor.
“It’s so precious to me to see the bonding that happens between the buddy and the child,” said Mahan.
If you are interested in becoming a Lunch Buddy at Bel Air (903-677-6980), South Athens (903-677-6970) or Athens Intermediate (903-677-6960), please call as soon as possible. A handbook is provided, and prospective volunteers must undergo a criminal background check, as required of all adults who interact with children in the school district.