Briana is 13 years old this year. And she is a middle school student in Salem, a city in Massachusetts, US. She often walked1on the streets after school. "I know it wasn't good, but I really had 2 else to do, " Briana said. She was not the 3 one. Many kids in her city had too 4 free time and nothing to do. To solve this problem, four schools in Salem began a 5 called Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The program helps students 6 good use of their afterschool time. Big Brothers/Big Sisters invite teachers to 7 students in grades 6 to 8 build healthy relationships and take part in helpful activities. The "Bigs" and "Littles" 8 meet once a week. They play games, share stories and 9 trips.
The program helped quite 10Salem students. Briana's teacher is the school principal, Syeda Woods. Woods took Briana to go iceskating, to hamburger parties and for a 11 to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. "When I got out, I saw that Salem is a very 12 place. Other cities are bigger than it," Briana said.
Kathy Jennings, 13, said she was very 13 before, but now is much more open. "In the program, I 14 like my teacher is a big sister, not a teacher. I can tell her anything," Jane said. "And she taught me a lot about thinking for 15. I think it will make a big difference in my life. "
