Nothing beats a 'Good Friend'
Mentoring program seeking local volunteers

Related Link: Alumni Association

By Susan Voelkel

The little girl had been really struggling to learn to read. It wasn't easy. Then one day she sat down beside her "Good Friend" Janet Shirley, looked at her book and started reading right along. All of a sudden she stopped abruptly. "I can read!"

"That is why I am in this program," said Shirley. Watching and listening to Shirley recount the incident, one wonders who was the most excited that day.

Shirley is associate executive director of the IU Alumni Association and coordinator of Good Friends. She and Claudia Richardson, Alumni Association personnel director, launched the program in Bloomington. Good Friends is an outgrowth of an effort started five years ago in Indianapolis. That program has spread to schools all over Marion County.

Good Friends matches adults, one-on-one, with pupils who need help in learning and can benefit from an adult friendship. The emphasis is on teaching, encouraging, praising, developing friendships and involving the community in education. The Good Friends program is carried out in Bloomington elementary schools in partnership with the university, the community and businesses.

Good Friends depends on the volunteers who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and occupations. IU faculty, staff and students participate and more would be welcome. Many businesses encourage participation by giving employees released time. Volunteers serve one or more hours each week on a regular basis.

The children like the program. "I got an A on my last two spelling tests!" exclaimed one youngster. Many of them talk about how nice their Good Friends are and what good friends they become. Some who are not in the program wish they were.

"We emphasize the quality of the relationship. We don't want to risk these children having another negative experience," said Richardson, the "matchmaker" who links adults with children in the Bloomington program.

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