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IN THE LIFE OF // A MENTORING PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Living vicariously through others is okay with us.
Pam Ludwick smiles as she tells the story of a match that was made through the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program.
"The Big brother and his 'little' were trying to think of things to do," says Ludwick, program director for Big Brothers Big Sisters. "Since they only had one bike, they took it to the park and took turns chasing each other. The 'little' told us that was the most fun he had had."
As program director, Ludwick oversees the Big Brothers Big Sisters Douglas County office, 1525 W. 6th St, Suite A. The goal of the program is to match up a mentor with a child, known as a "little," to help build healthy, caring relationships. As an affiliate of the Kansas chapter, Ludwick helps implement changes and relay information to the Douglas County program.
Ludwick and case managers have meetings to discuss new kids joining the program as well as issues and concerns involving matches. While the beginning of the day is quiet at the BBBS office, Ludwick says it picks up once the kids get out of school.
with mentors going through background checks, to provide a stable match for children. Seeing a match being made for the first time is a fun experience for Ludwick. "The kids are excited and nervous meeting their new mentors," she says.
Ludwick says the only downside to the job is that the magic happens outside of the office when the big and little matches hang out. However, for Ludwick, the most rewarding part of her job is knowing when the match is working. "When there is a connection and you hear about it, that's when we know we're doing something good," she says. "That's what this is all about."
ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS // BALANCING YOUR CHECKBOOK
> In case of emergency, read quicklv
Number crunching: Keeping a register of transactions can help you budget, as well as spot discrepancies in your monthly statement.
While Jody Koch pays at Wal-Mart, she takes a few seconds to write the transaction in her check register.
her check register. Those pen strokes put Koch, Baileyville freshman, in the minority when it comes to personal finance. Only 13 percent of people balance their checkbook, according to Moebs Services, a finance research company. This means 87 percent of people write checks and slide debit cards without knowing how much money sits in their account.
money sits in their accounts.
The number didn't surprise Jennifer Cook,
branch manager at Commerce Bank, 1301
Jayhawk Blvd. "Students think," Oh, it worked.
I must have money," Cook says. "It's when it
gets denied they know they have a problem."
Learning how to balance your checkbook can save you from incorrect charges or overdrafts.
First, get a register. Most banks, such as Commerce Bank, give out free check registers. Then write your account balance in the top, right box. The rest of the register is filled out each time you make a transaction, positive or negative in value. So if you ate Taco Bell on Monday for $4.20, write that on the line. Then subtract $4.20 from your balance and write in on the same line as the rest of the Taco Bell transaction.
If you don't want to write them down as you pay, keep your receipts, Cook says. At the end of the month, your bank will send you a statement, or you can get one online. Compare the statement to your register, checking off each matching transaction.
If you have any discrepancies between the two, make sure the transactions aren't pending by checking online. If there's a mistake, correction takes quick and simple paperwork. "If you balance your checkbook in college, it will carry on throughout your life." Cook says.