Peters Township’s Mark Mizikar, Daniel Florentino, Nathaniel Wang
and Brandon Warne donate their time to mentor young kids as
part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh.
F
our young men from Peters Township are mentoring
the younger generation toward a better tomorrow.
Washington & Jefferson College students Mark Mizikar,
Daniel Florentino, Nathaniel Wang and Brandon
Warne have been mentors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater
Pittsburgh (BBBSPGH) for more than two years.
“These young men are always going above and beyond the call
of duty,” says Pam Slomiany, their direct supervisor. “They have
been nothing but great mentors for us the past few years.”
BBBSPGH builds and supports one-to-one mentoring
relationships with children facing adversity. These relationships
help local youth realize their potential and ignite their biggest
possible futures.
BBBSPGH was founded in 1965 by local business leaders led
by Kenny Ross. For the first several years, the agency focused
its efforts on mentoring boys in the City of Pittsburgh and
surrounding suburbs through the traditional community-based
mentoring model. In 1973, it expanded its target population
to include girls who were in need. Later the agency extended
its service area to Washington County in 1996 and Greene
County in 2002, officially becoming Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Greater Pittsburgh. In 2000, the agency introduced its second
core mentoring program (site-based mentoring) to increase its
capacity to provide mentoring to local children.
“Mentoring is the act of providing guidance and friendship
to someone who could use a role model for life’s choices and
decisions,” says Slomiany. “Through mentoring, volunteers can
help their Littles reach goals and improve self-esteem. When
mentoring children, volunteers offer to help build a strong
foundation for youth as they grow. The support mentors provide
helps youth overcome adversity to become productive members
of our society—high school graduates, educated and trained
workers and good, honest community members.”
Mark Mizikar is majoring in Finance at W&J, and is widely
involved on campus as a member of SAACS (student-run
chemistry club) and intramural sports—all while volunteering
at Canonsburg Hospital. He is the son of Dayna and
William Mizikar.
“My favorite thing to do as part of BBBS is play football with
my Little and his friends, who are also Littles in the program,”
says Mizikar. “Volunteering is important to me because I like
making a difference in my Little’s life. I feel I’ve had an influence
on his life and have helped him improve his grades and goals. It’s
been a great experience watching him grow over the time I’ve
spent with him.”
Sophomore Daniel Florentino, son of Petrina DeNillo,
is a member of the wrestling team, the Washington Fellows
Program and National Society of Leadership and Success.
“I’ve learned how important it is to give back to
the community by volunteering,” says Florentino. “In being a Big,
I’ve seen how going out of your way can make a difference—no
matter how big or small. It can mean a lot to someone.”
When Florentino was young, he had his own Big Brother
through BBBS. “I realize I’ve had countless people go out of their
way to help me get where I am today,” he adds. “Being able to give
back and pay it forward today is an awesome feeling.”
Sophomore Nathaniel Wang is a member of the W&J men’s
tennis team, German Club and SAACS, as well as a volunteer/
floor ambassador for Washington Hospital. He is the son of
Songtao and Yi Hu Wang.
“My roommates and friends were a part of BBBS and were
talking about how rewarding it was to help children—so I
decided to join,” says Wang. “I’ve learned that being a volunteer,
especially as a mentor for kids, requires a lot of patience and
understanding. It opened my eyes to the diversity of people we
have in the community. It may sound cheesy, but if you want
a community to have a future and prosper, it starts with the
children. If we make sure they are growing up in an environment
in which they can succeed, then the community will be a better
place too.”
Brandon Warne is the son of Tim and Denise Warne, and is
majoring in Financial Economics & German. “My favorite thing
about being a Big is being able to put a smile on my Little’s face
every time I see him, and having the ability to impact someone’s
life in a positive way,” he says. “Volunteering is important to
me because it helps me take a step back, and starts to make me
realize how lucky I am to be living the life that I am. Being able to
give a part of me to someone who doesn’t have much means the
world to me.”
“Our Bigs come from diverse backgrounds just like our Littles,”
says Slomiany. “You don’t need any special degrees or job skills
to become involved. You just have to want to positively impact a
young person.”
Getting involved doesn’t stop at mentoring. Members
of the community can help BBBS fulfill its mission by
being a volunteer in the community, making donations to
the organization, becoming a Match Maker by committing
to a monthly donation, referring friends to volunteer and
spreading the word. Becoming a volunteer only requires a few
hours, twice a month, and over 250 kids are waiting for Bigs.
For more information, visit bbbspgh.org/beabig or call Pam
Slomiany at 724.228.9191. n
Join BBBSPGH for a pancake breakfast on
Saturday, June 15, at First Presbyterian Church!
Visit bbbspgh.org or call 724.228.9191 for
more information.
PETERS TOWNSHIP
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JUNE/JULY 2019
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