BATON ROUGE – LSU athletics had 16 of its student-athletes volunteer with Big Buddy as the organization celebrated its 15th-annual Day of the Mentor Program last Friday which gave local elementary and middle school students a first-hand college experience.
The participants had the opportunity to shadow the LSU student-athletes representing four different programs, which included football, gymnastics, men’s tennis and softball.
After meeting their Little Buddies at breakfast, the LSU student-athletes rode the school bus to campus. The Little Buddies went to classes and toured the athletic facilities, where their Big Buddies compete and train. The day concluded with a special luncheon and goodbye ceremony.
“It was a great experience and also a chance to have a moment to realize all the people that care about the children in our society,” said football’s Jarvis Landry. “But most of all letting the children be a part of an environment that makes them comfortable.”
“I loved getting to spend the day with my little buddy and show here what it’s like to be a college athlete,” said volleyball’s Katie Lindelow. “I could really tell how much the children enjoyed having mentors and the difference it made in their lives.”
Big Buddy established the “Day of a Mentor” program in 1998 to bring awareness to the service of mentoring and to motivate members of the community to become involved and make a difference in the life of a child.
2013 Big Buddy Day of the Mentor Participants
A.J. Andrews – Softball
Boris Arias – Men’s Tennis
Odell Beckham Jr. – Football
John Michael Busch – Men’s Tennis
J.C. Copeland – Football
Katie Dunlap – Volleyball
Fehoko Fanaika – Football
Ericka Garcia – Gymnastics
Harrison Kennedy – Men’s Tennis
Jarvis Landry – Football
Katie Lindelow – Volleyball
Zach Mettenberger – Football
Eric Perez – Men’s Tennis
Chris Simpson – Men’s Tennis
Tam Trinh – Men’s Tennis
Laura Whalen – Volleyball
Source: http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=209300850
