THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503210110
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONYA WOODS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
DEWAYNE JACOBS, an 18-year-old senior at Booker T. Washington High School, looks forward to playing basketball and going to the park with Corey Spruill and Terrell Wells, both students at Jacox Elementary School.
``I try to come and see them every Wednesday, but we weren't able to do that much stuff during basketball season,'' said Jacobs, a member of Booker T.'s basketball team.
Jacobs spends a couple of hours on Wednesday afternoons with his two younger buddies. They are part of the beginning stages of the Jacox and Washington School Mentor Program, where high school students are paired up with elementary students.
Leon Bonds, Jacox principal and one of the program's coordinators, says when the students return to school in the fall, the program will be more structured.
``We definitely want to expand on the program,'' Bonds said. ``We'd like to take the students on general outings like bowling, the movies and to church.''
The program includes Washington's basketball team and its cheerleaders as mentors for about 45 Jacox students.
It began with a story. When Booker T.'s basketball team and cheerleaders stopped by to read stories to a group of energetic 10- and 11-year-olds in November, Bonds saw potential for more than just a one-time story hour.
``This is a great way for these high school students to give something back to their community,'' he said.
Bonds decided to ask the older students to become mentors.
``When these kids can go to a high school basketball game and point to one of the players and say, `Hey, that's my mentor,' there's a sense of pride in them,'' said Barry Hamler, Booker T.'s basketball coach. ``The first time they saw their mentors on the court their faces just lit up.''
While the program is not directly associated with Norfolk schools programming, it has the support of some school officials.
``This is something that we need more of - more high school students spending time and nurturing other students,'' said Fred Oliver, assistant to the superintendent of Norfolk schools.
Though the idea of being a role model for a young child seems to be quite common these days, Hamler says the bond these students form is special.
``Most of these kids live in the same neighborhoods so it's very likely that they'll stay in close contact,'' he said. ``They may see each other on their way to school or just around the neighborhood.''
Or maybe even talk to each other on the phone.
When Sunshine Swinson, 11, got stumped on a math homework problem she called her mentor DeWayne Cunningham, the only male cheerleader on Booker T.'s squad. He guided her step-by-step to an answer.
``He gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I ever had any kind of problem,'' Sunshine said. ``I don't really care that he's a boy.''
If gender isn't a problem for Sunshine, DeWayne says, he won't let it stop him from being an attentive and respectful mentor.
``Even though they're younger than me I still respect them and try to teach them to have respect for themselves,'' said the 19-year-old senior.
``I see myself as an inspiration for them and not just for cheering but for anything they want to do,'' said DeWayne, who also mentors fifth-grader Trachita James.
Trachita said DeWayne may not be the driving force behind her honor-student status, but he encourages her to keep it up.
``He helps me with my grades and we talk a lot about school,'' she said.
``And he's the only boy I know that can do a split!'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by RICHARD L. DUNSTON
Booker T. Washington High School student Kenny Brown, left, tutors
Jacox Elementary students Trachita James and Sunshine Swinson,
right.
by CNB