April 29, 2004

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Departments

• New Matches & Anniversaries
• Big & Little Milestones
• Match Activities & Ideas

Stories

• A Big Brother To Look Up To
• Another Successful School Year
• Pitt Offers Scholarship to Bigs
• Ross Family Scholarship

A Big Brother To Look Up To

A father of four, three of them six-year-old triplets, Robert Klan knows a thing or two about children.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh seems to agree with that sentiment, having recently named Rob, who lives with his wife, Nicole, in North Strabane Township, its School-based Big of the Year.

Since 2001, Rob has boarded a van on Tuesdays to spend his lunch hour with Emilio, now a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Margaret Milliones Middle School in Pittsburgh.  A supervisor in the systems and Technology Department at Reed Smith, a downtown law firm, Rob is one of 872 youth mentors who volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Allegheny, Washington and Greene counties. Read More!

Another Successful School Year 

The BBBS School-based mentoring program has had another successful year, expanding to Carnegie Elementary, Carson Middle, Kelly Elementary, and Milliones Middle School this year. With the assistance of Elise James, School-based Coordinator Jim Scheidler has increased the program from 91 active matches last April to 108 matches as of this April .

Read More!

Pitt Offers Scholarship to Bigs

We are excited to announce a special scholarship for BBBS volunteers.  Established by Tom R. Slone, the scholarship is available to volunteers in the BBBS of Greater Pittsburgh program who enroll in a recognized program of study in the College of General Studies at the University of Pittsburgh.  This is the first scholarship of this type to be awarded to a BBBS volunteer, and thereby adding value and opportunity for those who serve as a Big Brother or Big Sister. 

For additional information about the Tom R. Slone Scholarship, contact Dean M. Julian, Ed.D., at 412-624-4761 or julian@cgs.pitt.edu

Ross Family Scholarship

A new scholarship has been created by Kenny and Claire Ross for Little Brothers and Little Sisters entering post-secondary education.  Established in honor of long-time BBBS advocates Nancy Zappala and Tom Hardiman, this scholarship will award up to $5,000 to deserving students who are presently or have been Littles through our agency.  Students entering their first year of post-secondary education will be given priority, but other students may also apply.

For more information about the Ross Family Scholarship, contact Wally Jenkins at 412-363-6100, ext. 215, or wjenkins@bbbspgh.org.

When you think of anniversaries you think CELEBRATION! Whether you have been together for one, two or 10 years it is an accomplishment that is worthy of acknowledgement. How did you celebrate with your Little? Let us know…Did you go to dinner, bake a cake, have pictures taken, attend a special event/performance? We would love to hear all the unique ways in which you marked the occasion. Send any anniversary stories or ideas to cjones@bbbspgh.org. We will highlight them in upcoming BBBS E-News editions! 

Click here to see New Matches and Anniversaries for our School-based Matches!

• BB Conan Lingler completed his student teaching at Boyce Middle School in Upper St. Clair and graduates from Pitt this weekend with a teaching degree ... along with his wife, Jennifer, who completed a doctorate in nursing.

• Congratulations go out to BB Mark Klauss and his wife on the recent birth of their new baby daughter, Molly. Mark's LB Nick also deserves congratulations for making the honor roll at his school.

• Read More!