Friday Feature: Lunch Buddies program gives school kids student mentors, wins awards
Ellaine Ursuy, like many others for the CMU Volunteer Center’s Lunch Buddies program, participates because she loves elementary kids.
Lunch Buddies lets students spend time mentoring an elementary kid and escape from the stresses of college life for a few hours every Friday.
“It’s a great experience for me and Jasmine, my lunch buddy,” said Ursuy, a Clio sophomore.
She said the program is effective and the only thing it is missing is more kids. She said she would love to have six lunch buddies instead of one.
“I get to see how I grow through the program and (how Jasmine) grows,” she said. “I think that I grow more than her.”
Maya Gibson, a third grader at Vowles Elementary School, 1560 Watson St., said she thinks the Lunch Buddies program is fun. It is her first year in the program and she said her teacher introduced her to it.
“Mrs. Nowicki asked me if I wanted a lunch buddy and I said, ‘Yeah!’” Gibson said.
Her favorite things about the program are playing four square, talking and playing rock-paper-scissors with her mentor.
Ursuy said she most enjoys playing four square with her buddy.
“It’s Jasmine’s favorite thing to do and to see her face light up when she gets to square one, it’s so great,” Ursuy said.
The program was one of five finalists for the Governor Service Award in the category of the Mentoring Program of the Year in 2010. The award is sponsored by the state of Michigan and was presented by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her husband.
Saginaw junior Justin Mack, Lunch Buddies’ student coordinator, was presented with the award by University President George Ross at the Dec. 2 CMU Board of Trustees meeting. Mack called it “truly an honor” in an e-mailed response.
Mack said the award was based on several criteria ranging from the students’ academic performance to the program’s organizational structure.
“We are excited to apply again for the award later this semester,” he said.
Ursuy is a Leader Advancement Scholar and getting volunteer hours through the Lunch Buddies program are integral to her eligibility.
Above all else, the program brings back memories of her time in elementary school and lets her relive the simple life.
“It’s so great to remember,” Ursuy said. “To grow up and remember the simple things.”
