"Sisters to Sisters" Mentoring Program

"You could say that my little sister is the 'fireball' of the group," says business major Aletheia Silcott '04. "When the program first started, she was quite a handful."

Since October, Silcott and her "little sister," Regine, have been part of a program in which Ithaca College students serve as "big sisters" to students from the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School in Ithaca. The program, called "Sisters to Sisters," is geared to promoting educational opportunities and fun activities for the younger girls, while giving College women the chance to serve as friends and mentors. Eight students from each institution participated in Sister to Sister this past school year.

The big sisters are responsible for contacting their little sisters at least once a week, and they meet in person as often as possible, on campus or on outings to movies or the mall. The big sisters also meet with their little sisters' teachers and help with homework assignments. Once a month all the participants come together for a group activity. These activities have included a Halloween extravaganza, a visit to the historic Harriet Tubman House in Auburn, an evening of cookie baking for the holiday season, and a basketball tournament.

As for handling that at-first-troublesome little sister, Silcott says, "The other big sisters and I laid down ground rules about respect and proper behavior from the very beginning. Now I am proud to say that my little sister is one of the best-behaved members of the group, she and I get along great, and she openly tells people that I am her big sister. Changes in her behavior with me transferred to her behavior in school. She is now better behaved in her classes and listens more attentively to her teachers.

"This program has taught me a lot about myself," she adds, "and about patience. Patience with children is a lesson that no textbook can teach you. Just as my little sister learns from me, I have learned from her. This program has also taught me that we as adults have a direct effect on our youth. Children learn from example, and that is what we as big sisters do.