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SOME VIEWS FROM COLLEGE STUDENTS
School Children
Get Role Models
JULIE LITBURG, SPECIAL
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MORE EXCITING THAN EVER!
WEDDINGS —BAR MITZVAHS
FAMILY PORTRAITS
m
ichigan State Uni-
versity student
Kari French wor-
ries about children
these days.
"Kids have to face a lot of
things that I don't like in the
world, like gangs, alcohol and
peer pressure," she said.
To help young people, Ms.
French participates in Friend-
shop, a program that introduces
MSU volunteers to students at
Allen Street, an urban elemen-
tary school in Lansing.
"Friendshop is a positive way
to keep kids off the streets and
provide role models for them,"
she said.
College students from MSU,
along with elementary students
from Allen Street, create an en-
vironment in which everybody
has an opportunity to enhance
their self-esteem and become
more productive in school and
society at large.
But participants in the pro-
gram are not always aware of
Friendshop's benefits. They're
having too much fun getting to
know each other. Third-grader
Allycia explained:
"I like it because you get to
color; you learn things and you
get to stay after school," she said.
Allen Street School teaches a
large percentage of "at risk" stu-
dents. Many come from homes
where alcohol or drug abuse is
more familiar than the alphabet
and multiplication tables. Dur-
ing lunch and after school, the
Friendshop program enlists 50
MSU volunteers to serve as pos-
itive role models for children
who don't always find one at
home.
Mary Beth Heeder, director
of MSU orientation programs,
founded Friendshop as a noon-
time detention program at Allen
Street in September 1991. Soon,
due to positive feedback from
teachers and students, it ex-
panded to include an after-
school program of social and
learning activities.
Friendshop programs take
place at noon and after school.
During the school day, children
eat lunch, play games and cre-
WE ARE HERE AND READY TO SERVE ALL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC NEEDS
ate crafts with five to 10 MSU
volunteers.
After school, another group of
MSU students works with the
children. The volunteers share
their talents, interests and skills.
Athletes coach games and dis-
cuss the importance of staying
in school. Students with artistic
talent lead creative projects with
educational twists. A book-lover
may read stories to the children
and lead follow-up discussions.
Student behavior
has improved
significantly.
Volunteers dedicate two
hours per week to the program.
This time commitment includes
a five-minute "wrap-up" meet-
ing that gives students and vol-
unteers a chance to positively
reflect and comment on the time
they shared together.
Children are rewarded for
good behavior as they brain-
storm the next week's activities.
Friendshop recruits volun-
teers with various majors of
study and backgrounds. Many
are studying child development
and teacher education. They
experience a sense of fulfillment,
having impacted the lives
of children. Friendshop has
afforded them with an opportu-
nity to apply their university
studies to a "real life" situation.
Allen Street teachers say the
children love the program. It is
something they can look forward
to, possibly one of the only sta-
ble parts of their week. Since
Friendshop began two years ago,
school achievement levels and
student behavior have improved
significantly.
On the first afternoon of
Friendshop, Allycia left the
MSU students a special mes-
sage on the blackboard: "We
apreeceeate (sic) the MSU stu-
dents. From Allen Street School.
P.S. Hope you come again!"
Julie Litberg is a sophomore
studying education at Michigan
State University.
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