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 Rachel and Ada met while Ada was in 2nd grade at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School. By the time Ada reached third grade, the two were inseparable. Rachel, an employee of State Street Corporation, was Ada's Power Lunch mentor from 2nd to 3rd grade. Now she is her Big Sister. Realizing that the two did not want to part ways when Power Lunch was over, they learned through a colleague of Rachel's that they could continue their mentor/mentee relationship through the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.
Boston Partners in Education's Power Lunch program matches corporate volunteers with 1st through 3rd graders in need of extra help with reading. The volunteer academic mentor spends one hour a week reading to their student during lunch. However, Power Lunch only extends to students in grades one through three. The Big Sister Association of Greater Boston has stepped up to help those Power Lunch volunteers and their mentees who qualify to continue their relationship.
Recently, Boston Partners in Education's Communications Manager, Faye Pantazopoulos and Big Sister Association's Director of Marketing & Communications, Maren Johnson, sat down with Rachel and Ada to discuss their relationship beginning with Power Lunch and continuing through Big Sister.
Rachel and Ada are currently enrolled in the School-Based Plus program where they see each other in school during the school year and out of school in the summer months.
Q: How did the two of you initially bond during your first few Power Lunch sessions?
Rachel: Ada loves to read Nancy Drew - which I remember reading as a girl.
Q: Can you name a Power Lunch milestone?
Rachel: I made a new friend while becoming a mentor and I was not really expecting that.
Q: What types of things do you like to do together now that you're in the Big Sister program?
Rachel: Ada's a fan of Martha Stewart and she likes to draw, read and use the computer. We make crafts like bottle cap magnets, take trips to museums - we saw the Shark 3-D movie at the Museum of Science, we make pottery, etc.
Ada: I enjoy just talking to Rachel the most - about school stuff, movies and books.
Q: Ada, what is your favorite thing about Rachel?
Ada: Everything! Recently, I won an award for scoring the highest on the MCAS and Rachel was the first person I told.
Q: Ada, use three words to describe Rachel?
Ada: She is a really good role model: nice, intelligent, funny and caring.
Q: Do you admire Rachel?
Ada: Yes, I look up to her because of how she treats me.
Q: What makes Rachel different from family? From friends?
Ada: Rachel is not much different from family, but maybe she knows more than my friends.
Q: Rachel, why did you choose to continue mentoring Ada after Power Lunch was over?
Rachel: I wanted to continue because I didn't want to lose touch with her. I wanted to see how Ada grew up.
Q: How has having a little sister changed your perspective on your own life?
Rachel: It's brought me down to being 10 years old again. I talk to Ada about what's important to her now and it's so refreshing to see Ada's point of view.
Q: What's the best part about being a Big Sister?
Rachel: Getting to do things with Ada that I wouldn't be doing at this point in my life.
Q: What do you do to nurture Ada's strengths?
Rachel: I try to explore and develop her many interests. We'll go to the ICA because Ada loves to draw, make crafts together or go see a movie or play basketball.
Q: Do either of you have siblings?
Rachel: I'm an only child.
Ada: I have a brother who is 2 1/2 years older.
Ada doesn't really know yet what she wants to be when she grows up but it may involve art. She does know that she wants to attend Boston Latin School for high school.
Rachel and Ada's time in the School-Based Plus program through Big Sister is almost over. They will continue to be Big Sister/Little Sister through the Community based program where they will see each other every two weeks outside of school.
Boston Partners in Education and The Big Sister Association of Greater Boston are happy to partner and allow Power Lunch volunteers to continue to be involved in their mentee's lives through the programs provided by The Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.
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