Resources

Summer is here! Now that school is out, you and your Little have three whole months to fill with fun activities. To give you some help coming up with ideas, here are some awesome events and activities you can do with your Little this month! Whether you want to be in the air-conditioning or soaking up the sun, this list has you covered. Check it out and enjoy summer fun with your Little!

Indoor Activities

20 Summer Stem Activities

Summer is here and that means that you and your Little can take your learning outside with Summer STEM Activities! Steam Powered Family has an awesome list of 20 STEM challenges for the summer! Click here to view the list!

Learn Origami

Get an origami book and fun paper. Create animals and shapes. Give them to friends or family as gifts.

Read Your Way to the Ballpark

Since summer is here, now is a great time for you and your Little to do some reading together through the Reading With The Rays program! Click here for more details.

Get a Book of Riddles

Riddles are a great way to keep your mind sharp. See if you can stump each other, then write your own riddles!

Visit a Nursing Home or Retirement Community

Play games, sing songs or have lunch with the residents.

Easy DIY Tie-Dye T-Shirts | Grab some plain white t-shirts and tie-dye ink and make some rainbow-themed tie-dye t-shirts with your Little! Click here to see a fun video on how to make tie-dye t-shirts!

Outdoor Activities

Go Bird Watching

Take photos and keep track of your sightings. Use an app or guidebook to identify different birds.

Easy DIY Tie-Dye T-Shirts

Grab some plain white t-shirts and tie-dye ink and make some tie-dye t-shirts with your Little! Click here to see a fun video on how to make tie-dye t-shirts!

Have a Beach Picnic

The weather is nice and sunny! Go to the beach with your Little and have a picnic!

Collect Rocks and Paint Them

Turn them into pet rocks, garden ornaments, or gifts for others.

Play Sand Volleyball

Play at the beach or check your local parks.

Go Berry Picking

Enjoy fresh or bake them into a pie!

Make Paint Pouring Art

Learn how here

 

Juneteenth Community Celebration- June 18th

Juneteenth is the commemoration to celebrate the emancipation of slaves in the United States. Juneteenth is known to be a day of reflection and celebration as well as a time to come together and educate one another.

We invite you to join us as we celebrate “Freedom, Hope, and Opportunity.” There will be music, food, games, and free health screenings available for all who attend this free event!

For more details click here

38122 Martin Luther King Blvd, Dade City, FL

 

The Great Tarpon Springs Scavenger Hunt (City-Wide)- All month long

Hosted by Tarpon Springs Recreation, this is a month-long, city-wide event.

For more details click here

100 E. Tarpon Ave. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

 

Recurring Events

Yoga In The Park: Every Sunday at 10:30 am at Julian B Lane Riverfront Park. For details click here

First Mondays Presented by American Stage and Creative Pinellas: Starting June 6 through February 2024. A free monthly series of staged readings. For details click here

Children’s Board Free Tuesday: Free admission to Glazer Children’s Museum on the first Tuesday of every month, from 10 am—5 pm. For details click here

Fresh Market at Wiregrass: Select Saturdays each month (June 4th &18th ), featuring 70+ vendors on Paseo Drive at the Shops at Wiregrass. For details click here

Armature Works Run Club: Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, enjoy a scenic 5k run on the Riverwalk. All ages and experience levels are welcome. For details click here

June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month!  BBBSTB is proud to be an inclusive and diverse organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Should your Little come out to you during your match, it is very important to support and care for them through their journey as an ally. While you might not understand every aspect of being gay or transgender, all that matters is showing your Little that you are in their corner no matter what. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay has gathered some resources and tips for you, and your Match Support team is always a text or call away.

Below are some helpful tips on how you can respond:

1.  Acknowledge your own feelings (internally!)

2. Thank them for disclosing to you.

3. Reinforce that you are trustworthy (acknowledge the risk they are taking by confiding in you.)

4. Tell them that you care about them.

5. Ask what you can do to support them.

6. Ask who else knows. You do not want to accidentally “out” them.

7. Keep it private and confidential. Again, do not “out” them.)

If you are unsure of how to respond you can say, “Thank you for sharing this with me. This is new to me but I care for you and I will continue to be here for you.” 

Our partners at Metro Inclusive Health in Tampa and St Petersburg offer youth socials, hangouts, and summer camps.   Youth Programs at Metro Inclusive Health are designed to support the social and emotional empowerment of youth and young adults.

Click here for additional information and resources for LGBTQ+ Youth and Friends/Supporters.

 

June is Pride Month and it is a time for celebrating the things that make us each unique. This month, we acknowledge those who have advocated for equality and equity for all people. LGBTQ+ people have historically faced many challenges and, although there have been great strides in the past few decades, many people are still fighting to protect their rights. Take time this month to learn about the people who pioneered the LGBTQ+ Pride Movement and those who continue the fight.

All kids can benefit from having a defender of potential, and it is important to acknowledge those who are willing to help others around them find success. This month Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will highlight members of the LGBTQ+ community who have helped others reach their full potential. Find out how you can become a mentor and defend the potential of all youth in your local area by becoming a Big. 

Bayard Rustin

One of the most influential civil rights activists of the 1960s, Bayard Rustin fought for the rights of all citizens. As a close friend and advisor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he became the main organizer of the March on Washington and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Rustin was a fierce advocate of racial equality, but he was also a member of the gay community and spent his life contributing to the gay rights movement. Although he was jailed in 1953 for being gay, he never stopped working to guarantee equal rights for all people.

When Rustin died in 1987, he left behind a legacy of peacefully protesting for equality. In 2013, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for his efforts and was pardoned of his conviction in 2020.

Janet Mock

New York Times best-selling author Janet Mock has made history over and over. As a transgender woman of color, Mock has broken through countless barriers to become one of the most influential people in the entertainment industry.

In 2018 she was the first transgender woman of color to write and direct a television episode. Additionally, she signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix, becoming the first transgender woman of color to sign a deal with a major content company.

A native of Hawaii, Mock received her master’s degree in Journalism from New York University, going on to write for People Magazine and Marie Claire before publishing her best-selling book Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More.

She has since gone on to be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and was a speaker for the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Mock hopes her work will “empower people and equip them to tell their own stories.” She will continue to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized communities, using her influence to ensure all people are equal.

 

Carl Nassib

Carl Nassib grew up playing football with his father and brother in his home state of Pennsylvania. He later played defensive end for Penn State before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2016. He quickly became a starter, playing 14 games as a rookie. After his time with the Browns, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons as a starter for 17 games. He was then traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 where he became the first active player in NFL history to publicly come out.

During Pride Month 2021 Nassib released a statement on his Instagram account coming out as gay, and his jersey quickly became the top-seller in the NFL. He also pledged $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ youth with crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. By the end of that week, The Trevor Project had received over $225,000 in donations.

Since then, Nassib has received support from the NFL, his teammates, and the entire Raiders organization. He continued to play for the Raiders and made the game-winning strip-sack in his first game as an openly gay player. Nassib remains an advocate for LGBTQ players in sports, hoping that one day it won’t make headlines when players come out.

Jane Castor

As the 59^th Mayor of the City of Tampa, Jane Castor has made history countless times. After growing up in Tampa, Castor played basketball and volleyball for the University of Tampa and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. She has since gone back to school, earning her master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy University.

After graduating with a degree in criminology Castor joined the Tampa Police Department and became its first female Chief of Police in 2009. After serving in the police department for over 30 years, Castor decided to run for mayor. When she was elected mayor in 2019, she became the first openly lesbian Mayor in city history.

Castor is a former Big Sister and has participated in the Over the Edge fundraising event, demonstrating her commitment to help the city of Tampa reach it’s full potential. She continues to work tirelessly for the city, ensuring that Tampa is a city of equality and equity for all.

 

 

Additional Learning Resources

• Pride Reading List | Brightly.com has curated a list of 30 age-appropriate books for kids and teens about Pride. Click here to see the list.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout history. Throughout history, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have overcome challenges and have helped those who come after them to rise as well. Take time this month to learn about the rich and diverse heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have paved the way for those around them.

All kids can benefit from having a defender of potential, and it is important to acknowledge those who are willing to help others around them find success. This month Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will highlight Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have helped others reach their full potential. Find out how you can become a mentor and defend the potential of all youth in your local area by becoming a Big. 

Dr. Margaret “Mom” Chung

Dr. Margaret “Mom” Chung was born and raised in California and became the first female Chinese American physician during a time of extreme discrimination toward Asian Americans.

When World War II broke out, Dr. Chung started hosting American soldiers, politicians, and actors for dinners. In her autobiography she recalls a pilot telling her “Gee, you are as understanding as a mother, and we are going to adopt you,” and Dr. Chung became “Mom”.

During the Sino-Japanese War, Mom volunteered as a front-line surgeon for the Chinese, and recruited the American-Chinese pilot unit known as the “Flying Tigers”.

Mom went on to support efforts to allow for greater inclusion of women in the United States military, using her connections formed at her dinners, eventually creating Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. She died in 1959, leaving behind over 1500 “children” including John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, and Amelia Earhart.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Born in California to a black father and Samoan mother, Johnson grew up around professional wrestlers who taught him that showing emotions wasn’t masculine.

After a college football career that ended with no teams selecting him in the draft, Johnson fell into a deep depression with no tools to get out of it.

Once Johnson started therapy, he realized the benefits of having someone to talk to and explains that “the key is to not be afraid to open up.” Johnson is now the highest paid actor in the world and credits his success to being true to himself.

Johnson has since become an advocate for mental health awareness, encouraging others, particularly men, to find someone they can talk to.

 

Mindy Kaling and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

When Mindy Kaling rose to fame on “The Office” she was one of the first mainstream Asian Americans in Hollywood. She has since been a champion for other Asian Americans breaking into the industry, particularly young women.

Kaling met Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on the set of her show “Never Have I Ever” which is loosely based on Kaling’s life as the daughter of Indian immigrants in Massachusetts.

Kaling discusses her mentorship of young women, including Ramakrishnan, explaining that she wants young women of color to say, “Oh yeah, Mindy Kaling was my mentor.” Ramakrishnan has echoed the sentiments, oftentimes expressing her gratitude for the help Kaling has offered her.

As the show has progressed, Ramakrishnan has collaborated with Kaling on plot points and character arcs for “Never Have I Ever” allowing for the young actress to gain vital experience to further her career.

 

Match Activities

Attend:

• Monday, May 16, 2022, 6 p.m Online | The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) museum shares Asian Pacific American history, art, and culture through innovative museum experiences online and throughout the United States. Click here to register.

 

•  Monday, May 16th, 2022 | Multicultural Social: Asian Pacific American Culture| Enjoy delicious food from around the globe! Safety Harbor Museum & Cultural Center, 329 Bayshore Blvd. S., Safety Harbor, 34695

Read:

• The Hillsborough County library has a great selection of books from AAPI voices for all ages. Click here to see the list.
• The history of Asian Americans is deeply intertwined together with all of America’s history. The online lesson plans provided here offer age-appropriate K–12 learning and activity items.

Watch:

• Mindy Kaling’s shares her perspectives on launching her own production company, Kaling International. Click here to watch the video or read the Time article.

Helping your Little identify, understand, and learn how to better manage their emotions can be an important part of your relationship, especially if they are getting in trouble for emotional outbursts at home or in school.

Experiencing anger is a normal part of everyday life.  It plays a positive role in identifying where there may be a problem or a need that is not being met, yet students must learn how to deal with anger appropriately.  Many students suffer daily emotional stress and frustrations, especially if they are experiencing family issues, which can boil over at school and cause them to get in trouble and struggle
socially and academically. Failing to deal effectively with strong emotions can lead to problems not just now, but also later in life, including a host of health problems.

You can help your Little learn to manage his or her emotions constructively by providing a safe space to discuss their feelings and by acting as a positive role model. You may be the one person they can talk to without feeling judged, and it is important to try to see things from their perspective and validate their experience, regardless of how you may initially perceive it. As you likely know, it can be very hard to think rationally when in the grip of strong emotions, so first give your Little a chance to simply express what they feel and practice your reflective listening.  Reflective listening is a communication strategy involving two key steps: seeking to understand your Little’s idea, then stating the idea back to your Little to confirm the idea has been understood correctly.

Once they feel understood and more relaxed you can help them name the emotion, try to identify the cause of the emotion, explore what the emotion felt like physically, and then problem-solve the best ways to respond to that emotion when they experience it again. This will help them gain a better understanding of why they experience these emotions in the first place, recognize what the emotions feel like so they can identify them in the future before they boil over, and have several appropriate responses prepared so they handle emotional situations correctly and avoid getting in trouble.

Just by being an outlet for them to talk about their emotions you are probably already well on your way to influencing your Little for the better.

 

It’s pretty simple.

By building a trusting friendship with your Little you can have a positive impact on their life. It may not be immediately noticeable, but you are planting seeds and cultivating future effects. That’s what it’s all about.

Here are some additional thoughts on making a difference with your Little:

Showing up consistently and sharing activities together (events, having lunch, just talking) is the biggest factor in forming a positive relationship with your Little.
Simply focusing on your Little’s interests and having fun together will build connection.
Learn about your Little; their experiences, background, and family traditions play an important role in who they are.
Deciding what activities to do together fosters a stronger relationship.
By being there you are making a difference even if you don’t think you are. If you’re ever concerned about not making a difference, talk it over with your Match Support Specialist. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay provides you with support and resources as a volunteer.

Remember, the success and power of mentoring are not about one mentoring session or conversation.

It is about building trust over time and allowing Littles to express themselves, ask questions, and know that they are heard, seen, and valued for who they are and what they believe.

 

GET STARTED AS A BIG BY ATTENDING A BIG ORIENTATION & TRAINING SESSION. WE HAVE UPCOMING IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

 

 

March is Women’s History Month, a time to uplift women’s voices and honor the contributions of women throughout history. Girls and young women face a unique set of challenges but continue to persist and break-down barriers. Take time this month to learn from women throughout history who have paved the way for the next generation of young women to reach their full potential. 

Firsts are powerful and important, but we must not forget those who helped them arrive there. This Women’s History Month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will highlight women who were “firsts” and the greats who stood behind them along the way.

Viola Davis, Actor & Producer

Viola Davis was the first African American to achieve “triple crown” status by being awarded a Primetime Emmy, an Academy Award, and two Tony Awards. 

She credits Cicely Tyson, a friend, and fellow actress, as a key mentor who inspired her. “You made me feel loved and seen and valued in a world where there is still a cloak of invisibility for us dark chocolate girls. You gave me permission to dream…because it was only in my dreams that I could see the possibilities in myself.” 

Cicely was known for her on-screen performances, which garnered her three Primetime Emmy Awards, four Black Reel Awards, an honorary Academy Award, one Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, and Peabody Award. In addition to these accolades, President Barack Obama awarded her the Medal of Freedom in 2016. She stated this was the most important award she received in her lifetime. 

Lucy Stone, Women’s Sufferage Movement

Susan B. Anthony’s name is typically the first to come to mind when thinking about women’s right to vote in the United States. She appears on our currency and in most history books. She is arguably the most well-known contributor to the Women’s Suffrage movement. 

But who inspired Anthony to become involved with Women’s Suffrage? A woman named Lucy Stone is said to have inspired Anthony to take up the cause in the first place after Anthony attended a convention that Stone had spoken at. 

Lucy Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to obtain a degree after completing her studies at Oberlin College. An accomplished orator with sharp rhetoric, she was asked to compose the class commencement speech. She declined the request because she would not be allowed to read it due to being a woman. At Oberlin’s 50th Anniversary celebration, Stone returned and spoke on stage. 

Stone spent much of her life traveling and giving lectures regarding Women’s Suffrage and abolishing slavery. Stone is also known as the first American woman to keep her original name after marrying. “I believe that the influence of woman will save the country before any other power.”

Ibtihaj Muhammad, Olympic Bronze Medalist

The first woman to wear a hijab while competing in the Olympics on behalf of the United States was Ibtihaj Muhammad. She earned a bronze medal for her sabre fencing at the Rio Olympics and is ranked 7th globally. 

Earlier in life, she joined the Peter Westbrook Foundation, a fencing program that helps develop life skills in underserved young people. This foundation was established by Asian American Peter Westbrook, whose mother insisted he begin fencing to keep him out of trouble and expose him to a different life. 

Muhammad serves as a sports ambassador on the U.S. Department of State’s Empowering Women and Girls Through Sport Initiative. She travels to various countries to speak about the importance of sports and education. She has written two books and established Louella, a clothing line that focuses on bringing modest, fashionable clothing to America. 

Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Movement

Claudette Colvin was pregnant and sitting in the back of the bus, as African Americans were required to do so in 1955. When the bus filled up, she was asked to stand to give her seat up to a white person. She loudly refused and exclaimed that it was her “constitutional right” to occupy the seat. “History kept me stuck to my seat. I felt the hand of Harriet Tubman pushing down on one shoulder and Sojourner Truth pushing down on the other.” 

Colvin was handcuffed, arrested, and pulled out of the bus. Though this was not a planned action by Colvin, she was part of the Youth NAACP and had dreams of becoming the United States president one day. The NAACP decided it would premiere Rosa Parks as the face of its bus de-segregation campaign 5 months after the incident with Colvin. 

Colvin struggled being labeled a troublemaker in her community and moved from Montgomery to New York. She worked as a nurse’s aid in Manhattan for 34 years and raised her children, rarely telling her story to others. She was later honored for her lifetime commitment to public service with a Congressional Certificate and an American flag. 

Find out how you can become a mentor and influence the next generation of inspiring women by becoming a Big. 

Match Activities

Watch:

• Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (PBS)
• Hidden Figures: Discussing the Women of NASA with Margot Lee Shetterly (Library of Congress)

Read:

• Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Right to Vote (Library of Congress)
• Women’s History Month: 31 Days of Amazing Women (USA TODAY)

Podcasts:

• “Unlocking Us with Brené Brown” Glennon Doyle and Brené on Untamed (Podcast)
• Best Women Empowerment Podcasts (Medium.com) 

It’s always a good idea to review best practices to keep children safer while they surf the web. As we know, kids spend more time in front of their phones and computer screens than previous generations. Our youth have grown up with the internet and various kinds of technology, but it’s still crucial to remind them about online risks and how to avoid or report unsafe behavior.

Talk to kids about online safety issues, such as inappropriate websites to avoid, malware, fraud, phishing scams, and sexual predators. Keep an open dialogue with your kids about their safety and what they are doing on the computer and smartphone.

Set clear rules about internet and phone usage. Some examples are:

• • Do not give out personal information. Avoid using birthdates, legal name or other identifiers in handles
  • Do not post your photo on public sites.
  • Do not open emails, texts, or DMs from someone you don’t know. If they claim to know you but the message seems strange, show it to a trusted adult.
  • Always report inappropriate messages to a trusted adult
  • Ignore or delete hurtful, insulting, or bullying messages and comments
  • Never agree to meet up with someone you’ve only chatted with online
  • Set time limits for being on the computer

Other guidelines for improved internet safety include:

• Keep kids’ computers in a common area to monitor activity
• Check your child’s browser history
• Activate privacy features within the internet browser and all devices
• Know your children’s passwords and change them regularly. Again, avoid using birthdates or easily guessed information.
• Watch for changes in behavior that may indicate cyberbullying or contact with an online sexual predator.
• Monitor chats within live streams on Twitch, YouTube, and gaming platforms

Technology has enhanced the way we learn and communicate, but we also have to adapt the way we keep our kids safe while online. We’ve included some online safety tips below:

CDC: Information on Safety in the Home & Community

Child Safety Tips & Resources

Internet Safety for Kids

This year, Tito’s is honoring Black History Month by amplifying our support and donating $25,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida. To learn more, visit lovetitos.com. 

 

Every February, people across the nation come together for events and activities to celebrate Black History Month. Now is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the history, contributions, and global impact of the African Diaspora with your Little. We hope these activity suggestions will inspire you and your Little to honor Black History Month and learn more together!

MOVIES TO WATCH:

• Hidden Figures 
• Black Panther
• A Ballerina’s Tale
• The Princess and the Frog

EASY RECIPES TO MAKE TOGETHER:

• 21 Black History Month Recipes 

BOOKS TO READ:

• Ages 5-12

Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin | Journey into the often forgotten contributions of African-American inventors, that contributed to the American landscape. It chronicles the school day of a little boy, highlighting different inventions that he uses throughout the day, all of which were invented by African-Americans. 

• Ages 8-12

Black Heroes: a Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U. S. A. by Arlisha Norwood | You’re invited to meet ancient Egyptian rulers, brilliant scientists, legendary musicians, and civil rights activists–all in the same book! Black Heroes introduces you to 51 black leaders and role models from both history and modern times. 

• For your teenaged Littles, click here to see a list of 74 Teen and Young Adult novels written by Black authors!