1. PATRICK SULLIVAN/TIMESNEWS
Gerald Rice, right, works with Jaxon Stone, 9,
at Upward Elementary School Friday.
Big Brothers Big Sisters ready to lend a
helping hand
Boys & Girls Club also working toward kids' success
By Renee Bindewald
TimesNews Staff Writer
Published: Sunday, October 12, 2014 at 5:00 a.m.
A little more than a year and a half ago, Jaxon
Stone's father died, but not long after he made a
new friend through Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Western North Carolina.
Jaxon is one of the many children supported by
the Big Brother Big Sisters school program. His
match led to a quick bond, but when financial
insecurity followed his father's death, Jaxon
and his mother had to make the difficult
decision to move to Raleigh.
Last week, the family returned to Henderson County and on Friday Jaxon was
reunited with his Big Brother.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC and the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County are
two United Way of Henderson County funded community partners that work toward
the improvement of their member's success in school.
Beginning with its 2014-15 funding cycle, the United Way of Henderson County has
shifted its focus to the six most critical community issues that need to be tackled
over the next 10 years, crafting its new “Henderson County 2025” plan. One of the
issues identified was the success rate of economically disadvantaged children within
the school system.
Data collected by the United Way showed that only 65.7 percent of economically
disadvantaged third graders and 69 percent of economically disadvantaged eighth-
graders were at or above grade level — a common indicator for student success.
“With a 10 percent disparity on reading tests in the third and eighth grade between
all students and economically disadvantaged students, United Way believes it is
important to have mentors in elementary and middle schools as well as sources for
students to be prepared for school, including child care that emphasizes school
success,” United Way Executive Director Ruth Birge said. “Our funded community
partners under the area of school success, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys & Girls
Club, and other nonprofit organizations, are instrumental in helping make students
successful.”
Superintendent of Henderson County Public Schools David Jones said research
shows that students excel when they have meaningful relationships with adults with
whom they can read, do homework and just talk.
“Simply put, the goal of Henderson County Public Schools is that every child have
success — and we know that children are more likely to succeed when they are
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2. surrounded by their teachers and school staff, their parents and family and our
community,” Jones said. “Powerful collaboration between schools, families and the
community not only helps our students learn, but is one of the principles on which
our school system is built.”
He said students learn most when they receive caring and competent instruction
every day at school and go home to environments rich with loving guidance on how
to do right and do their best at school.
“Organizations like the United Way contribute to this mission by supporting our
schools, providing mentors for the students who need them and rallying our
community around our common cause,” Jones said. “This is how we maximize the
futures of the students we share.”
Through Big Brother Big Sisters' school program, students have the chance to get out
of class and meet one on one with their “big.”
Henderson County Program Director Jeff Kowalak said the school program allows
Big Brothers Big Sisters to focus on school mentoring.
“In school mentoring, the first thing we really want to create is a bond or a
friendship,” Kowalak said. “So really it is just about having fun to get started.”
When Kowalak first met Jaxon, he said Jaxon had his hood pulled up and really
wasn't making eye contact. When he would ask basic questions about what Jaxon
liked to do, Kowalak said Jaxon was hesitant to answer.
“A little bit through that match — and just as he matured — we see that he is more
confident,” Kowalak said. “He is able to interact more and smile, and so that is some
of those things the school is looking for, not the hardcore academics — that's what
they do well; we're trying to add to those other things.”
When Jaxon reconnected with his Big Brother Gerald Rice, the two hugged and Rice
got a little fist bump from the excited fourthgrader.
Jaxon said he enjoys getting out of class to see Rice, and Rice said he also enjoys
getting the break from work at Selee Corp.
“It's been fun,” Jaxon said. “We get to do soccer, basketball — all that stuff.”
Last year, the two worked together to make a Mother's Day present for Jaxon's mom
during their time together — a gift Jaxon said she loved.
“I bought, like, a plastic container and some bedding plants, and brought some
potting soil and we actually went outside and I let him make the arrangement,” Rice
said. “So we do stuff like that. We go outside sometimes to the nature trail.”
Rice, who has a 13-yearold daughter of his own, said it is nice to get to bond with
Jaxon since he is surrounded by women at home.
The two said they enjoy getting a chance to be silly together — occasionally making
funny faces to the ladies at the front desk of the school through the camera when
they get back from being outside and are waiting to be let inside.
“She'll say, 'Come in you two!'” Rice said. “Miss Diane is a big fan of Jaxon as well. …
That's one thing as an adult, you know, kids have rules and adults have rules; most
adults don't find things that other adults do funny, but when they got a kid with
them they have to laugh.”
Henderson County Public Schools Title I and Homeless Education Director Matt
