“Breakfast of Champions” was hosted by the Bright Futures Rissler Elementary School Site Council on Monday to celebrate the Rissler Bright Futures volunteer mentors who participate in the Lunch Buddy Program and the Blue Light Special Program.
A total of 19 adults from the community have completed the requirements to be a volunteer mentor through the Lunch Buddy Program. Volunteers are required to have a background check and must meet the school district’s volunteer requirements. They meet with their Lunch Buddy twice a month for lunch at their school. This provides an opportunity for a student to connect with one more positive adult role model at school. Volunteers come from all walks of life, both male and female and include business professionals, retired individuals, recent college graduates, etc. Since the program was initiated in late January, there have been 67 lunch buddy visits.
The Blue Light Special program has nine volunteers. These are first responders who have met the same volunteer mentor requirements. Members of the Trenton Fire Department have been regular visitors in the building. They rotate lunch shifts so that they can meet with students from all grade levels. Students love having these individuals in the building.
Currently there are 15 students who have been referred to the program but are waiting for more volunteers to become lunch buddies. Volunteers choose the two days to visit each month at their convenience. Anyone interested in learning more about how to become a Lunch Buddy at Rissler Elementary can contact Principal Tiffany Otto at [email protected] or Terri Critten at [email protected] for more information.