Sebastian Brown looks forward to every Monday and Wednesday when members of Ball State's fraternities come to help him with his homework.
Brown, 10, has been coming to the Maring-Hunt Library for four weeks and hopes the extra help he is receiving through the Adopt-A-School program will one day help him get into college.
Organized by the Interfraternity Council community service chairman, Aaron Stevens, the Adopt-A-School program has excited children and offered fraternity members a chance to influence the lives of others.
"The Adopt-A-School program, is a great on-going community service program that gives a chance for each fraternity to give back to the community," Stevens said.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity member, Drake Land has participated in the program four times this semester to work on math, reading and spelling with the children.
Land said he enjoys the time he gets to spend with the kids and plans on continuing in the program next year.
Stevens said he began a similar program for his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, in September.
Stevens said every week, 16 hours of service is put in by Delta Tau Delta members at Grissom Elementary School.
After seeing the success of the Delta Tau Delta program, Nancy Wean, coordinator of Ball State's CAPE program, asked Stevens to set up a similar program at the Maring-Hunt Library.
Stevens said he thought it would be a good opportunity for all fraternity members.
"It lets all the fraternity men unite to help out the community," Stevens said.
Stevens said he has had about 40 men sign up to participate in tutoring the fourth graders from South View Elementary School.
About four to five men go each time.
Kathy Burton, Program Director at the Maring-Hunt Library, said she is grateful for the Adopt-A-School program.
Burton said the kids are very impressionable at their age and seeing the fraternity men attending college might keep them on the right track.
"The men of the Interfraternity Council make good role models," Burton said.
Stevens said next fall he will definitely continue the program and hopes to get Panhellenic Council involved as well.
"Not only does the program help the Muncie community, it also gives the children something to look forward to every week," Steven said. "It also gives them someone to look up to."
A survey taken by the students reported that their favorite activity was working with Ball State students, Burton said.
Jamie Haffner, 10, said she enjoys when the fraternity members come to help her and plans to attend Ball State when she is older.
"The Ball State students let us know we should ask for help if we need it," Haffner said.
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