Thursday, February 25, 2010
6:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
Burgers served at 6:30 p.m.

Catholic High School Mall
855 Hearthstone Drive

HOW TO SUPPORT PIG BUDDY

Platinum Buddy
$50 contribution
All PLATINUM BUDDY supporters will receive updates on a scholarship recipients, recognition in the event program and in the Big Buddy Newsletter.

Gold Buddy
$10 contribution
All GOLD BUDDY supporters will be recognized in the Big Buddy Newsletter.

Order your burgers online and we’ll have it ready for pick up!!!

The Big Buddy Burger Bash Scholarship fundraiser was established in 1990 to award deserving Little Buddies of the program with financial support as they pursued post high school educational endeavors. In 2002 the scope of the scholarship award was expanded to include our T-Steps students who gained acceptance into private and parochial schools to begin their middle school careers.

The funds raised during this event all go directly to support of the scholarship recipients.  Currently we have 2 college students and 1 high school student  supported by Big Buddy Scholarships.

Just last year we celebrated the graduations of two middle school scholarship recipients. They are now attending local high schools with special programs for academically advanced students.

Over the past 19 years we have awarded 43 scholarships to Little Buddies in need of financial assistance as they attended various colleges, universities and middle schools. We are excited about increasing opportunities to additional youth in our program.

Thursday, April 23rd
Preliminary Bout #1: McKinley High v. LSU Lab v. McKinley Middle v. Belaire High v. Jackson Middle; BREC Administrative Building, 6201 Florida Blvd. 6:30pm-8:30pm. General Admission: $2

Friday, April 24th
Preliminary Bout #2: EBR Lab School v. Park Forest Middle v. Dutchtown High v. LSU Lab School; Belfair “Free Dreams” Teen Center, 4390 Fairfields Ave. 8:30am-10:00am. General Admission: $2

Friday, April 24th
Preliminary Bout #3: Glen Oaks High v. Jackson Middle v. Istrouma High v. MSA Academy; Belfair “Free Dreams” Teen Center, 4390 Fairfields Ave. 10:30am-12:00pm. General Admission: $2

Friday, April 24th
Preliminary Bout #4: Belaire High v. Teen 360 Afterschool v. McKinley Middle v. Glen Oaks High v. T Steps Afterschool; Belfair “Free Dreams” Teen Center, 4390 Fairfields Ave. 5:00pm-6:30pm. General Admission: $2

Friday, April 24th
Preliminary Bout #5: City at Peace v. Park Forest Middle v. EBR Lab School v. MSA Academy v. Teen 360 Afterschool; Belfair “Free Dreams” Teen Center, 4390 Fairfields Ave. 7:00pm-8:30pm. General Admission: $2

Saturday, April 25th
Preliminary Bout #6: Dutchtown High v. Istrouma High v. McKinley High v. City at Peace v. T Steps Afterschool; BREC Administrative Building, 6201 Florida Blvd. 10:00am-12:00pm. General Admission: $2

Sunday, April 26th
FINALS NIGHT: Top four qualifying teams (TBD), top six qualifying individuals (TBD); Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St. 6:00 pm-9:00pm. Ticket Admission: $10 Tickets available at www.manshiptheatre.org or at Manship Ticket Desk.

To RSVP for a large group please send an email with group name, estimated amount of patrons, and the event you will be attending to wordplaybr@gmail.com or call the Big Buddy office at (225) 388-9737

The mission of the Big Buddy Program is to provide access to positive role models and learning experiences to children who lack these resources.  The Big Buddy Program is a local non-profit agency that has served the Baton Rouge community for 30 years.

Teen Service Unit Information:

Big Buddy’s Teen Service Unit provides youth ages 12-19 with safe forums and positive relationships that promote life skills and educational opportunities.  We are committed to building sustainable, high quality, teen-driven programs that meet the evolving needs of youth in our community.  The service unit is currently made up of two major programs:

T-Steps is a program for middle school-aged students making the transition into adolescence (T=transitional).  Middle school-aged students attend a daily after school and summer programs and receive academic, enrichment, mentoring and youth development services.

Teen 360° is a program for high school aged students providing a positive, safe space for academic, mentoring, enrichment, and youth development services.  The program meets Mon-Thurs after school during the school-year and throughout the summer at the BREC “Free Dreams” Teen Center.

Brief Description: The Teen Programs Director is responsible for providing oversight and carrying out a variety of tasks that ensure the success, stability and growth of the Big Buddy Teen Programs.  These duties fall in the following areas:  1- Hire, train and supervise management staff (function as management staff team leader, establish systems for communication and accountability, function as coach and trainer for management staff).    2-  Provide oversight for program design and operations (ensure that programs meet performance goals, maintain high quality program standards, operate within allocated resources and guidelines, spearhead partnerships and work with executive director to secure adequate funding and resources).  3- Provide leadership and direction for teen programs (participate in agency-wide planning and development, work collaboratively with stake holders to guide the overall quality and sustainability of programming for teens).  This position will be interim through the summer with the possibility of an on-going contract depending on job performance.

Requirements:  Experience managing youth programs, excellent verbal and written communication skills, proven leadership experience, project and systems management skills, collaborative planning skills, a vision and passion for teen programming and an understanding of the youth development field a must.  Fundraising experience a plus.

To apply: Submit a resume and cover letter via mail or fax to:

Big Buddy Program, 1415 Main Street, BR, LA 70802.  Fax- 225.346.8441.

Do not send materials via email.  Questions may be directed to Jade Blank.

Timeline: Accepted applications through April 1, 2009.

Candidates will be contacted before April 10, 2009.

Julianne Hough from the ABC tv show Dancing with the Stars, Gaylynne Mack Big Buddies Executive Director, Terry Serio Big Buddy Board President, Pamela Matassa Big Buddy Board Vice President

In-school classes
Project ExCEL instructors go into 11 local public elementary schools to teach weekly lessons focused on Character Education and Leadership skills. We reach 1700 students each month. Instructors set high expectations for students and are there once a week all year to ensure that they meet them. Instructors implement lessons drawn from the 6 Pillars of Character; Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. All lessons are fun and interactive and allow students to do an activity, reflect on their discoveries and apply what they have learned. In January Instructors we switch to the Junior Achievement Curriculum, which teaches business and leadership skills. This curriculum is very well aligned to the Social Studies Grade Level Expectations found in the Comprehensive Curriculum.

Monthly Newsletters
Each month Project ExCEL releases a newsletter to students that focuses on one of the 6 Pillars of Character. Students are featured in each newsletter as Character Stars and in candid photos of them enjoying the feature activity of the week. You will also find tips for teaching character at home, quotes from our students, the words of the month, heroes of the month, interviews with important figures in our community, games for the kids, and a bonus assignment.

Programs offered:

• Extended Day/Out of School Time
  • Holiday Camps - Summer, Thanksgiving, and Spring
  • Summer Enrichment
  • Weekend Activities
  • Performances
  • Team sports
  • Fully Devoted Developer of Children (FDDOC) Elementary schools we serve in include:
    • Banks
    • Claiborne
    • Dalton
    • Eden Park
    • Greenville
    • Howell Park
    • Merrydale
    • Park
    • Polk

    Middle schools we serve in include:

    • Capitol
    • Crestworth
    • Kenilworth

    Program GOALS include:

    • Increase participant achievement in math and English
    • Improve classroom behavior and participation
    • Provide services for the community

    What the kids are saying about Big Buddy Elementary Programs:

    • “You get to have fun and you get to have help when you need it. And it helps me with my grades.”
    • “I always get my homework right.”
    • “I like to do my homework.”
    • “I wish I could have Enrichment every day.”
    • “I like dance because I want to be a dancer.”
    • “I want to stay longer.”

*Please scroll down for all applications for Teen Programs

T-Steps is a program for middle school-aged students making the transition into adolescence (T=transitional). Sixth – eighth graders come for five feeder schools to attend the program each day. T-Steps members are enrolled in one of four of the “majors”: visual arts, athletics, dance or rhythm band. The classes meet daily and are taught by specialists. Members also sign up for a daily academic component, choosing between hands-on English Language Arts, math/science labs, homework assistance or LEAP test prep in the T-Steps library.

Find out more about T-Steps.

T-Steps Packet and Applications

Teen 360° University is a program for high school-aged students at Baton Rouge’s new Belfair “Free Dreams” Teen Center. Ninth - twelfth graders come from five feeder schools to attend the program from Monday - Thursday. Teen 360° University members can choose from over 17 youth-centered, project-based classes including such picks as Video Production, Martial Arts, Culinary Arts and Hip-Hop Dance. Each member is required to attend one day of the “Academic Achievement College” where they receive services such as homework assistance, ACT Prep and academic skill building.

Find out more about Teen 360
Teen 360 Packet and Applications

WordPlay Teen Writing Project builds literary culture and community among diverse teens through poetry workshops, spoken word events, publications and educator resources. WordPlay teaches the craft of poetry and self-expression to teens and creates spaces where artistic and civic voices can be amplified. Mentor Writers conduct year-long residencies in middle and high schools and work with teen writers through after school programming. The teens in WordPlay gain valuable literacy and artistic skills through forums where their voices matter most.

Find out more about WordPlay Teen Writing Project.
Word Crew Application 2009

All Teen Program Applications

Click Here for a copy of the application. Apply today at the Big Buddy Program @ 1415 Main Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

Apply to be a Teen 360° Summer University 2008 Youth Intern. Earn $100/week stipend. Click Here for an application.

EBR School Partnership Application

~ Big Buddy Mentor Fact Sheet ~

Big Buddy Vision:

That every child has a positive role model leading him/her to make good choices resulting in a healthy and rewarding life.

Big Buddy Mission:

To provide access to positive role models and learning experiences to children who lack these resources.

Big Buddy Program Description:

Big Buddies and Little Buddies enjoy spending time together doing special projects, completing homework assignments, reading books, and developing a friendship through other fun activities. Through the creation of mentoring programs that allow for different levels of commitment, flexibility in activities, additional agency support, and the implementation of the Day of the Mentor event, the number of mentoring relationships has been on the incline. In addition, the established relationships are well rooted and are likely to continue past the original commitment period.

Big Buddy Provides:

• Ongoing training for Big Buddies
• Transportation for Little Buddies
• Hosting Match Ceremonies

• Supervised contact
• Recruitment and Screening of Little Buddies
• Conducting weekly Little Buddy Club Meetings

Big Buddy Mentor Commitment:

Volunteers that sign up for this awesome task will make a commitment to provide consistent interaction with their Little Buddies, so that a strong relationship will form and last. The interaction will be under the direct supervision of a trained Mentor Coordinator from the Big Buddy Program.

Big Buddies are asked to commit to:

• Attend 1 Little Buddy Club meeting per month. Each participating school has a club meeting at least once per week. During club time, Big Buddies and Little Buddies will participate in activities that assist in strengthening the mentoring match. In addition, we will conduct workshops that support the Little Buddies in the accomplishment of their personal goals.

• Attend 1 Weekend Activity per month. A schedule of weekend activities will be provided at the match ceremony. Generally, an activity is designated to each month. Individual schools are then assigned to a particular Saturday or Sunday activity time. If a scheduling conflict arises, we can then work with them on a case-to-case basis.

• Write 1 Letter per month. The contents of the letter should be encouraging words for the week, a recap of the weekend activity, career information, etc. The Big Buddy Program will serve as the delivery system.

• Attend the Match Ceremony, Ending or Recommitment Ceremony, and additional training workshops if applicable.

Mentoring Application (PDF)

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Your Big Buddy Contact

Hope Dawan
Communications Manager
hjdawan@gmail.com

1415 Main Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 388-9737—phone (225) 346-8441—fax