DARKE COUNTY – The Monarch Legacy Fund of the Community Foundation of Shelby County recently awarded a grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County.

Big Brothers Big Sisters was chosen to receive funding because of its continued efforts to make a positive impact in “at risk” children. The funding will be used for computer upgrades and for the school mentoring program that pairs high school freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors with elementary aged students twice a month.

New to the program this year is a “Positive Life Choices” curriculum which promotes the importance of manners, respect, positive self-esteem, being substance free, and positive decision making.

The High School Mentoring program known as “Big Buddies” is nine-month commitments where volunteer high school students mentor elementary age children two times a month at an agency designation. This year the program operates at Northwood Elementary School, Longfellow Elementary School, and Whittier Elementary School in Sidney with over 283 children being served in these programs.