Prep Seniors Form a Family at PS4

All of St. Francis Prep's students have seen the grammar school located behind prep at some point. But does anyone really know anything about the school and what goes on there?

The children who go to the school are special, more special than most. They have been removed from other special education programs due to their behavior. These children suffer from severe emotional disorders, mostly brought on by their family situations. The school also has six classes completely devoted to autistic children.

The program PS4 was started at Prep 15 years ago. Dori Kaplan, the guidance counelor at PS4, approached Brother Leonard with the idea. Ms. Marianne Stolfi, a social studies teacher at Prep, has been involved with the program and has kept it going with the Prep students.

PS4 allows the seniors to volunteer one period of a cycle at the grammar school. During this time, they work with one of the students who attends PS4 and serve as their mentor. "Our students help the little ones with math, play games with them, and give them their individual attention," says Ms. Stolfi.

Ms. Stolfi says "this program is quite unique. It is a testament to a 'New York' experience - Catholic and public schools working together." The program is an experience that is unforgettable and possibly life-changing.

This semester there are 130 seniors volunteering - which has allowed almost every student at PS4 to have a big brother or a big sister. Tyriece Simon, nine years old, is one of the boys in the PS4 program. He is the eldest child of three. He loves gym. His favorite sport is basketball, his favorite team is the Lakers. He, as well as his big brother, Danny Lynch '06, enjoy the PS4 program. They like doing crosswords with each other, solving tricky math problems, and just talking about anything that comes to mind.

Kendra Robinson '06 is the big sister to Keith Young, age eleven. Like most of us, he has an older sister who loves to scream and fight with him. His favorite games to play with Kendra are Connect Four and Wheel of Fortune. He loves math - multiplication is his favorite thing to do.

Jonathan Carter is a ten year old boy. He is a recent student to PS4, only joining late last year. He loves baseball and basketball. His favorite team is the Yankees. He considers himself to be one of the 'cool' kids.

These three children are only a few of the students involved with PS4. There are so many of them that come with their own past, and more importantly, their undecided future. They look to the seniors of Prep as role models and friends, people they can rely on and turn to in lives that are otherwise filled with unknowns.

For the most part, the children look foward to the time they spend with their big brother or sister. They usually are very cooperative, but each one may have their day to misbehave. They can be easily distracted or refuse to listen. A volunteer's job is not easy - it is a task that involves hard work and patience. A volunteer needs tremendous character and strength.

Over the years, the PS4 program has proven only to be a success. The student's math scores have risen and there is a great rise in self-esteem. Ms. Stolfi's advice to future PS4 volunteers is "you will get as much out of the program as the little ones. The insight into the special needs of these children will change their perspective on special education."