Courtesy Photo | Army Capt. Michael Coy, the Drug Demand Reduction Outreach State Prevention...... read more read more
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (Aug. 16, 2021) – As the Drug Demand Reduction Outreach State Prevention Coordinator for Florida National Guard’s Counterdrug Program, Army Capt. Michael Coy and his team work with anti-drug coalitions to create healthy citizens in communities across the state. In this role, he has gone into dozens of schools in the North Florida region to talk to youth about the importance of living a drug-free, healthy lifestyle.
Two years ago, he connected with the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of St. Johns County and found a more personal, rewarding way to improve accomplish this goal – he became a Big Brother.
“It was a great opportunity,” said Coy. “I’m already in schools talking about drug prevention and healthy decision making … why not take it to the next level and meet with someone to be a one-on-one mentor?”
Instead of speaking in front of 200-500 students in a crowded gymnasium armed with slides or props, Coy meets with his “Little” during lunchtime once a week in the elementary school cafeteria. Like the majority of the students in the program, Coy’s Little comes from a broken home with no father figure. He lives with his grandmother and two older siblings.
Coy said his little was excited to finally be matched with a mentor and get one-on-one time where someone is focused solely on him.
“It’s exciting to be there for him and teach him lessons from another male,” said Coy, whose son is the same age as his little so it’s more natural to ask him questions about eating vegetables and brushing his teeth. “You just lead them,” he said. “Give them another voice that that family might need.”
Coy said that while he was initially interested in the program for its unique mission, what really spoke volumes to him was the thick stack of little kids waiting for a mentor. A few months ago there were 20 kids on the wait list in St. Johns County alone. Since school began this fall, that number has grown to at least 50.
Hoping to match more children with mentors that can make a difference, BBBS created the “Bigs with Badges” initiative, which is a one-to-one mentoring program that connects youth with community partners in law enforcement, fire fighters, paramedics and other first responders. Funded just last month by the State Office of the Attorney General, the program is active throughout the state.
Melissa Ryan, Program Director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of St. Johns County says the uniform, whether it’s a Soldier, Airman or police officer, helps the kids understand the commitment and values these first responders stand for.
“I just think that these kids gets so excited when they see these Bigs with Badges. They just see a brighter future and that they can accomplish more than they thought they could,” said Ryan.
There are two types of programs under the one-to-one mentorship umbrella: site-based and community-based. In the site-based program, mentors 18 years of age and older go out and visit a child over their lunch or recess or even to afterschool programs. The expectation for all mentors is once a week. St. Johns County BBBS has established relationships with the sheriff’s office and local police departments to allow Bigs to visit their Littles during scheduled lunch breaks.
The community-based program is a little more intensive and requires the mentors spend time with their Littles on weekends or evenings, depending on their schedule. The mentors are also required to be at least 21 years of age.
Becoming a mentor or “Big” is an easy, albeit thorough process. First a mentor is matched with a child aged six to 12. While there is no set criteria for a child to enter the program, there does need to be a need.
“In our site based-program, we can actually match a female with a Little Brother, but in the community-based we don’t cross genders,” said Ryan. “We have a lot of little boys on our waiting list and just not a lot of men that are mentoring.”
Since they also receive funding from the Department of Education and the Department of Juvenile Justice, BBBS track the Littles’ grades from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year, looking at behavioral and grade improvements.
“We remain in regular contact with the guidance counselors and teachers and the parents so we’re getting this information first-hand from the people that are working with these kids to tell us what the successes are. As well as going out and visiting with these kids and just watching them blossom from day one,” said Ryan.
Ryan recalls one of the greatest transformations in a child. Unfortunately, he had suffered a great trauma after witnessing the violent deaths of both parents.
“It was night and day,” said Melissa. “His aunt will tell you night and day. He has come out of his shell.”
Melissa continued that the Big went to this kid’s school almost every week and just spent time with him for over the past few years. Since his passion was guitar, he even brought one and worked with him on learning the cords.
“It’s pretty monumental what we’re doing,” said Ryan. “I have been here seven years, I have seen it, our Bigs make a difference.”
For Coy the difference is two-fold and uniquely ties into his role in Counterdrug.
“What we do is drug prevention. How to you prevent someone from using drugs? It’s dialogue, its conversation. At the end of the day, kids are going to make their own decisions, but you want to know that the mentor in their life is having those conversations with them,” said Coy. “This is a way to have that conversation with someone who is at risk and change the outlook on their life.”
Numerous counties throughout the state are participating in the “Bigs with Badges program”. If you’re interested in becoming a Big Brother or Sister with BBBS of St. Johns County, contact Melissa Ryan or Allie Mitchell at 904-829-9986. For a list of contacts in surrounding counties, visit https://www.bbbsflorida.org.
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2021 17:04 |
| Story ID: | 403759 |
| Location: | ST. AUGUSTINE, FL, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSONVILLE, FL, US |
| Hometown: | ST. AUGUSTINE, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 256 |
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