Passing the torch
Jamal Johnson forged a lifetime bond with Sally Barnett as a boy, after being matched with her through Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio.
Johnson, now 27, said the opportunity allowed him to make a great connection with the family of his mentor.
“It was a life changing experience," he said. "I got to … go to sporting events, learn from them, have an extra support group alongside my family members.”
Meanwhile, Barnett has good things to say about Johnson, whom she began mentoring when she was his fourth grade teacher.
"He became part of our family and remains a part to this day," said Barnett, who now lives in Zanesville. "We did many things together as he grew up and have remained close. He comes to family activities and we get together as often as we can. He will always be my son! I may not have given birth to him but that doesn’t matter."
Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio, which serves children in Tuscarawas and Carroll counties, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
The organization, which has offices in New Philadelphia, was founded in 1973 to serve single-parent families with children ages 8 to 18. It focused on males without fathers.
At that time, Big Brothers Big Sisters was available only for children in the Dover/New Philadelphia area. It subsequently expanded services throughout Tuscarawas County. It now serves children in Tuscarawas and Carroll counties with school programs in eight different districts. In 1982, the agency registered as Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio with the national program.
"Big Brothers Big Sisters is the only mentoring program that is evidence based, which means what they provide is measurable and needed," President and CEO Beverly Pearch said in a prepared statement. "Students involved in the school-based programs have earned better grades, more confidence, and better social and emotional behaviors. The community-based program which goes beyond the school, has impacted many children’s lives in big ways.
"Many past 'littles' have become some of the best members of our society ‒ working, raising families, and helping their neighbors. In the community-based program, mentors meet with their mentees once a week for one hour at a time. The relationship that comes from a match is one of the strongest in a child’s life."
Agency employees work hard to make sure the matches are a good fit, Pearch said.
The agency's past work continues to influence the present, as Johnson himself became a mentor to a 9-year-old boy named Crimson. They were paired at the beginning of the summer after Johnson decided to be matched with an African American boy looking for an African American mentor.
Johnson, now a senior account executive with ComDoc Inc. in Dover, said he is trying to mold Crimson into a good young man.
“I just want to continue to make an impact on his life,” he said. “We like to go out to dinner. We like to go to the (YMCA), play basketball and hang out at the park. He’s a big Sky Zone fan and he likes Dave and Buster's.”
Barnett said she is proud of the path he has taken to be a big brother to Crimson.
"I am sure Crimson will benefit from his experiences with Jamal. Jamal is a great young man," she said.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Passing the torch
