“My Big Sister's taught me to stay confident and do my schoolwork. Lindsay's helped me keep my grades up.”

             — Little Sister Marjani

Academic Improvement
Littles do better in school.

Big Brothers Big Sisters isn’t a tutoring program and our volunteers aren’t academic coaches. The time Bigs and Littles spend together is spent developing a lasting friendship, rather than (only) buckling down on homework.

But Big Brothers Big Sisters results show up on report cards. Our kids show significant improvements in their grades, on standardized tests, as well as in attitude and attendance.

Several studies have even found that mentoring is more effective than tutoring programs at getting at-risk kids’ grades up.

• Littles have significantly higher scores on standardized math and reading tests
• 58% of Littles achieve higher grades in social studies, languages, and math
• Littles stay in school longer, and are more likely to graduate
• 62% of Littles are more likely to trust their teachers
  

That happens because kids with caring adult role models feel more connected to school. They have someone whose hopes they want to live up to. Kids with Big Brothers and Big Sisters believe they can have a better future – and understand that school is a part of it.

This makes a powerful difference.

Little Brother Mike knows that. The first day he met his Big Brother Tom he told him he was going to stay in school until he could legally leave, and then never set foot in another classroom again.

When Tom asked “What about college?” Mike replied “College isn’t for people like me.”

But after three years spent getting to know his college educated Big Brother, looking up to him, and wanting to be like him, Mike has decided to graduate and get a business degree – just like Tom.

Little Brother Josiah, on the other hand, is just trying to get through Middle School.

Josiah had always done well in school, but no sooner had he entered sixth grade than his grades began to drop, and drop, and drop. His behavior started changing too. Sometimes he was fine, but sometimes he would lash out and act as though he wasn’t accountable to anybody. Maybe he was just being a teenager – but he was definitely in trouble, too.

It was his Big Brother Michael who stepped up and helped turn things around. He asked Josiah “Are you happy with the way things are going?” And Josiah told his Big Brother – his friend – something he hadn’t been able to admit to his family: “No.”

Today Josiah’s happier, his grades are up, and his mom. . . she keeps telling us how impressed she is that a volunteer would care to do that much for her son.

Having a responsible adult friend they look up to gives kids a reason to care about school – studies have found that the stronger the connection between the mentor and child, the more the child improves in school.

It's BIG magic, and it’s what happens when a child feels connected to someone who cares about their future.

The Need in the Bay Area

Many of our "Littles" will become the first member of their family to graduate....learn more»