School-to-Work

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, we believe that one consistent, caring adult can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Abigail’s story is a powerful example of just that.

When Abigail first joined our School-to-Work program, she was navigating a difficult season. Between managing ADHD, mental health challenges, and the pressures of school, she often felt overwhelmed and unsure of what her future would hold. At one point, she wasn’t even certain she would graduate with her class. That began to change when she met her Big Sister, Aubrie.

From the start, their connection was strong. What began as a new and slightly nerve-wracking relationship quickly turned into a source of stability and encouragement. Aubrie showed up consistently, creating a safe space where Abigail felt supported, understood, and capable.

Aubrie helped Abigail build structure in her day-to-day life, from organizing her schedule to overcoming procrastination. They spent time working through school assignments, tackling scholarship applications, and exploring potential career paths. Aubrie even connected Abigail with professionals in fields she’s interested in, helping her see new possibilities for her future.

With that support and her own determination, Abigail began to thrive.

Today, she is on track to graduate this May, a milestone that once felt uncertain. Even more inspiring, she now has a clear vision for what comes next. Abigail plans to attend St. Petersburg College before transferring to the University of South Florida to pursue a degree in psychology.

Perhaps the biggest transformation, though, is her confidence. Where there was once doubt, there is now belief. Abigail feels empowered about her future and proud of how far she has come. Her journey is a testament to the impact of mentorship and the resilience of young people when given the right support.

If you’ve ever wondered if mentoring makes a difference, it does. Be part of a story like Abigail’s. Learn more about School-to-Work and take the first step to becoming a Big.

For many teens, the question of “what’s next?” after high school can feel overwhelming. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay’s School-to-Work program helps turn that uncertainty into opportunity by connecting local students with mentors and real-world experiences that inspire them to dream bigger and prepare for their futures.

Learning by Doing

Through partnerships with local school districts and corporate and community partners, School-to-Work gives high school students (Littles) a chance to step into professional workplaces once a month, meet caring mentors (Bigs), and explore career paths they may never have considered. Together, they spend time building workplace skills, learning about different industries, and talking about goals while developing lasting relationships that encourage Littles to stay in school and plan for life beyond graduation.

A Hospital Partnership That’s Making Headlines

One of the newest and most inspiring partnerships launched this year is with Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital in St. Petersburg, where 25 students have been paired with hospital staff members. For these teens, each visit offers a first-hand look at how a hospital operates, from the emergency department to labs and clinical care.

Among them are Carly Gerdes, a sepsis clinical coordinator, and her Little, 16-year-old Dorine Banyeretse. The two have been meeting monthly since last spring, and their bond has quickly grown beyond the walls of the hospital.

“It’s a nice experience,” Dorine told Bay News 9. “Overall, you get to make new friends, and meeting your Big is just a wonderful connection to have.”

Dorine dreams of becoming a neurologist, and Carly has made it her mission to help her explore that path, making sure Dorine gets to observe stroke alerts and understand the many ways neurologists interact with emergency and intensive care teams.

“It can help them decide what path they might want to take,” Carly said. “Even though I work in sepsis and the ER, I’m showing her all different sides of the hospital so she can see what fits her.”

Their story is one of hundreds happening across Tampa Bay. Together, they represent what School-to-Work is all about: exposure, encouragement, and empowerment through mentorship.

From Hospitals to Hockey Arenas

Beyond healthcare, the program is also expanding into new industries that excite and inspire students. This year, Big Brothers Big Sisters proudly launched a new partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning, offering high schoolers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the region’s most dynamic sports organizations.

From community outreach and event operations to marketing and business management, Lightning staff are showing students that the world of sports extends far beyond the rink. These experiences help Littles see that their interests, whether in healthcare, business, or athletics, can lead to fulfilling careers right here in Tampa Bay.

Creating a Stronger Future Together

The impact of School-to-Work reaches far beyond the classroom. For students, it builds confidence and career readiness. For mentors and employers, it fosters connection, purpose, and pride in giving back to the community.

“Programs like this remind students that they’re not alone,” said Laura Petitt, Program Director for School to Work. “It’s about helping them navigate that transition from high school to life after and making sure they have a plan in place to be successful.”

With more than 400 students currently participating across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, and Pasco counties, the program continues to grow, powered by the belief that mentorship changes everything.

Learn more about how your organization can become a School to Work partner: https://bbbstampabay.org/programs/school-to-work/

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay hosted the 2020-2021 School-to-Work Virtual Celebration to show our appreciation for the incredible impact our workplace partners have on our Littles’ lives.

During the celebration, we recognized a few of our outstanding partners in our School-to-Work program. Mayor Jane Castor received the Outstanding Commitment to School-to-Work award. Janelle McGregor, Community Partnership Manager, spoke on behalf of Mayor Castor and the City of Tampa’s office to accept the award.

“We are very grateful to have an opportunity to reach students through this invaluable initiative,” said McGregor

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay presented the Outstanding Commitment to School-to-Work Mentoring Award to Carl Watts with the St. Petersburg Police Department, Kara Lecomte, and Will Miller with Nielsen, our longest School-to-Work partner.

Thank you to all of our School-to-Work partners and partner schools for igniting the power and promise of youth through one-to-one mentoring relationships.

Check out the School-to-Work Celebration presentation to learn more about School-to-Work

Littles at Middleton High School placed 4^th in the Florida state competition for their STEM fair

Littles in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay’s School-to-Work program from Middleton High School are heading to nationals for their Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) project.

Each year the FBLA must complete a community service project. Previously they lead service days at other local Tampa Bay agencies such as Metropolitan Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. This year, Middleton’s FBLA students chose to host a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fair in honor of Middleton’s STEM magnet program. Since some of the FBLA students participate in the School-to-Work program with BBBS Tampa Bay they chose to host the STEM fair for our matches in the Community-Based program.

“We wanted to share our knowledge and hopefully inspire others to join STEM, because of the amazing benefits it offers, and just hope to spark interest in general,” says Middleton student Nidhi.

The students coordinated each step of the planning for the STEM fair, from creating a flyer to planning the demonstrations. The STEM fair was hosted on February 2^nd and the nineteen BBBS Tampa Bay matches who attended extracted DNA from strawberries, learned about what’s inside a computer, and had the opportunity to control a robot built by Middleton students.

Middleton took their STEM fair project to the Florida state competition, where they placed fourth. Their next stop is the national competition in San Antonio, Texas, from June 29^th through July 2^nd!

Check out more photos from the STEM fair here.

Seniors with our School-to-Work mentoring program enjoyed graduation ceremonies as they leave Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay to pursue their futures.

This week, we celebrated the graduating class of 2018 with graduation ceremonies for the 45 Littles in our School-to-Work mentoring programs. The School-to-Work program is a three-way partnership between the local school districts, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay and our corporate and community partners to provide one-on-one mentoring in the workplace for high school juniors and seniors to help improve graduation rates. The students (Littles) visit the workplace of the employees (Bigs) one morning each month during the school year for about four hours. They spend the first hour learning post-graduation skills, then spend one-on-one time with their corporate Bigs through lunch before returning to school.

Littles from our school partners — Northeast High, Clearwater High, and Leto High — met with their Bigs at USAmeriBank, St. Pete-Clearwater Airport, and Nielsen for their final visits of the school year to celebrate their growth and success in our School-to-Work program. At each graduation ceremony, keynote speakers such as the Mayor of Oldsmar, Doug Bevis, and Pinellas County Administrator, Mark S. Woodard, were invited to talk to the Littles about their futures, inspiring the students with words of wisdom and well-wishes. At each graduation, two graduating seniors were awarded scholarships based on essays they had written about their futures and how the School-to-Work program has positively impacted their lives.

The graduations were full of joy and excitement as the Bigs & Littles looked back over the past two years in the School-to-Work program. The seniors who will be leaving the program were enthusiastic about their futures, many attending college and hoping to one day fulfill their career paths. Some of the seniors even hope to return to their School-to-Work sites to work after they finish school.

Best of luck to the graduating class of the 2018 School-to-Work program!

View the photo album for the Northeast High & USAmeriBank graduation ceremony here.

View the photo album for the Clearwater High & St.Pete-Clearwater Airport graduation ceremony here.

View the photo album for the Leto High & Nielsen graduation ceremony here.