The creativity flowed for our junior buddies at the January Buddy Mentors Program event. Hosted at Alpine Arts Center in Edwards, each junior/senior buddy pair had its own individual canvas on which to paint a snowy mountain landscape.
According to Lauren Merrill, owner of Alpine Arts, the only rule for painting is that “there are no rules.” Each finished artwork by the buddies had its own personal creative touches, including snowflakes, birds and even a lynx.
The Buddy Mentors Program hosts enrichment opportunities for buddy pairs, which can include bowling, movie nights or performances at the Vilar Center in Beaver Creek.
Based on the national Big Brother/Big Sister model of mentorship, Buddy Mentors inspires and fosters youth through building consistent and trusting relationships. Research suggests that when compared to same age peers, youth who are involved with a mentor show increased confidence in academic work and increased success in relationships.
For more information on becoming a senior buddy, or for referring a local child to be a junior buddy, please visit our Buddy Mentors Program page.
