In the Fall of 2025, Chad Brindle, principal of Kennard-Dale High School, implemented a new organization for students to be involved in. Big Brother Big Sister is a one-on-one mentoring program involving a high-school student and a child in elementary school. 

High school mentors are known as “Bigs” and elementary school students are “Littles.” Two Thursdays a month, Bigs are dismissed from school early at 1:55 p.m. to visit their Littles from 2:10-2:40. At the elementary school, the students complete bonding activities to get to know each other better, as well as teach lessons about important topics such as kindness and empathy. This allows students to have positive role models in their lives at a young age, as well as build meaningful relationships to increase their support system. 

Interested high-school students completed training and an interview prior to becoming a Big. Then, Bigs were matched with Littles based on shared interests and personalities to ensure a successful match. Bigs were able to choose whether they wanted to mentor a student at Fawn Area or Stewartstown Elementary School. 

Brindle said he implemented BBBS into KDHS this year because, “We are always looking for meaningful ways to support the whole child, not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well.” He believes that mentorship is one of the most powerful ways to support students.

Additionally, he has already seen improvement in the South Eastern School District throughout the Bigs and Littles lives. He stated, “We know that our Littles have a trusted young adult in their corner […] I have also seen growth in the students serving as Bigs.” He described how high school students are developing a bigger sense of responsibility due to the program. When students build confidence and become more involved in their school, this not only affects themselves, but other students around them. 

Going along with this, serving as a Big benefits students by building effective life skills such as communication, trust, empathy, and leadership. Brindle claimed, “In many ways, being a mentor helps students discover their own ‘why’ and the kind of impact they want to have in the world.” 

Quinn Sparks, a senior at KDHS, originally joined BBBS because he wanted to mentor a younger student. He has already seen the benefits within the year he has been involved; he stated, “I have benefited from the opportunity knowing that I have made a positive impact on someone’s life.”  

Due to the growth Brindle has seen in Big’s lives and improvement in leadership skills throughout the district, he plans to continue the program next year and encourage more students to become mentors.