Creighton students are spending their spare time after classes to make a difference for several Omaha youth. The Big Jays Little Jays program is an organization that works in conjunction with Kellom Elementary.
“Big Jays Little Jays is an excellent program for Creighton students,” said Alicia Bettis, Arts & Sciences freshman.
“I have only known my Little Jay for about two weeks, but I know she already looks up to me. In these two weeks, the program has been very valuable for me as well. I feel like I have been rewarded when I see my Little Jay smile, and I know I have made a difference in a child’s life.”
Students who participate are partnered with a “Little Jay” from the elementary school. Students form a relationship with their Little Jays as the semester progresses and keep in contact with them through phone calls and social outings.
The goal is to help students from Kellom develop socially and academically with the help of a Creighton student who serves as their role model. They meet regularly outside of class, whether it is just to talk, get something to eat or go to an organized event. In addition, Big Jays make sure their partners are keeping up with school.
“I think the kids are really going to benefit from this. I know that hanging out with older kids always boosts kids’ self esteem, so this will be a nice way for them to develop socially,” said Matt Armbruster, Arts & Sciences sophomore and a member of Big Jays Little Jays.
“I think it will give them another friend to talk with about stuff. It gives them another person to hang out with when their parents are busy. We can be another person that they can rely on.”
Big Jays Little Jays began in the fall of 2008 by Creighton alumni Fawzi Ameer and Arts & Sciences senior Kunal Sualy.
This year, more than 120 Creighton students and 45 elementary students participated in the program on a regular basis. With the large number of Creighton students involved, about three to four are partnered with each elementary student.
Sualy hopes that in the future more Kellom students will want to be a part of Big Jays Little Jays.
“Definitely they are academically helped. We do math problems with them so they improve skills. We act as social role models; they see us at Creighton and ask us what we want to do when we get older. We hope that [someday] they [will] want to be in the position that we are in now,” Sualy said.
Although much of the interaction between the students and their Little Jays depends on the individual schedules of participants, the organization does hold some large group events for everyone.
About 30 Creighton students and 28 elementary students attended the event, which was an exciting opportunity for the Little Jays in particular.
“I haven’t known my Little Jay for very long, but we [went] to a Creighton basketball game as a big group. I don’t know if she enjoyed the game as much as she enjoyed just being with my partner, Big Jay, and me throughout the afternoon,” Bettis said.
“Now, we are planning an afternoon movie before we leave for Christmas break, which I know my Little Jay will definitely enjoy since she rarely gets to see a movie in theaters.”
“Some of my friends and I wanted to do something that would help the community together, and this program seemed like a great way to do that. We love hanging out with these kids, and I think this is a great way to help out in the Creighton community,” Armbruster said.