I learned about the needs at Polk school several months ago from Peggy Sheetz. Peggy attends New Covenant and asked if there was any way our church could come alongside of her and the school to help out. Several of our staff met with Peggy, toured the school and learned about the special challenges her students face. Peggy is the senior staff at Polk, having taught there for over 20 years.
The biggest challenge is that over 80% of the students come from single-parent homes. Most are on the free and reduced lunch program. Many of the students are classified as homeless as they don't live at a permanent residence.
We learned that the greatest need is for caring adults to spend time with students. The Lunch Buddy, Math Buddy and Reading Buddy programs have more students who want to be involved than they have adults available to match them up with. But more importantly, I heard Peggy's passion and saw her heart for her students and her desire to make a difference.
I'm not sure yet exactly how New Covenant is going to get involved. All I know is that after listening to Peggy I had to personally do something. I chose the Lunch Buddy route which required me to go through an application/screening process with Big Brothers Big Sisters. After an interview and reference/back ground check, they matched me up with my Deshawn. Pretty painless.
Which brings me to telling you about my first lunch meeting with Deshawn. I arrived early to meet Kyla, the Big Brothers Big Sisters staff person who was our "match maker." As I waited for Kyla in the office, I got to meet Eric Christenson, the school Principal. Eric thanked me for coming and filled me in on Deshawn - a bright student who requested a Lunch Buddy who likes sports and would be someone he could talk to.
Kyla arrived and began my orientation. Memories of elementary school danced through my head as we headed down the hallway to the lunch room. Deshawn was dismissed from class early in order to meet me. We went through the lunch line, got our chicken sandwich, shoestring fries, apple and headed to an open class room for our formal introduction.
Kyla covered the required orientation training over lunch, snapped a photo of the two of us and then we were off to a nook in the hallway to finish our conversation. I brought a picture of my four boys along with me to show Deshawn. I learned about his family and that he just celebrated his Golden Birthday.
40 minutes after our first introduction, Deshawn and I were on our way to the office so I could look at the school calendar and then sign out. And the best part for me? Before I left Deshawn asked, "When will you come again?"
Our first lunch was in the books. We weren't buddies yet but we did eat lunch together! It was a good start. Deshawn and me, we're gonna be Lunch Buddies!
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