Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound says school-based mentoring pilot topped goals at Baker Middle

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound says its first year of Level Up at Baker Middle School in Tacoma served 107 students, more than double the original goal. The pilot reported gains in belonging, confidence and future readiness, and the organization is now fielding interest from other districts.

Why it matters: - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound is testing a school-embedded mentoring model that brings paid mentors onto campus every day. - The pilot is designed to reach more students than volunteer-only mentoring can serve while keeping the consistency that makes mentoring effective. - Baker Middle School reports the program is helping improve student behavior, attendance and school culture.

What happened: - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound announced results from the first year of Level Up at Baker Middle School in partnership with Tacoma Public Schools. - The pilot served 107 sixth through eighth grade students in its inaugural year. - The program exceeded its initial enrollment goal of 50 students. - Level Up launched at Baker Middle School in fall 2025. - The model places BBBSPS-employed, paid Lead Mentors on campus five days a week. - Lead Mentors met with students one-on-one or in small groups based on need.

The details: - Students reported a sense of belonging score of 4.4 out of 5. - Students reported social-emotional learning and confidence at 4.2 out of 5. - Students reported vision for the future at 4.1 out of 5. - Students reported empowered decision-making at 4.0 out of 5. - Students built trusted relationships with mentors and peers. - The program addressed challenges including friendships, bullying, attendance and academic motivation. - The year included an inaugural Level Up Day celebrating the student community. - Students took a field trip to the LeMay Car Museum to explore STEM and automotive careers. - The year ended with a Student Showcase featuring "Why I Matter" projects about growth and future goals. - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta originally developed the mentoring model that inspired Level Up.

Between the lines: - The pilot’s strong enrollment and outcome scores suggest demand for structured, school-day mentoring is higher than the supply of volunteer mentors. - School leaders are using the program as a broader support system, not just an after-school enrichment effort. - Interest from additional districts indicates the model may be scalable beyond Baker Middle School. - Monique DuBose, Regional Director of Tacoma for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, said the program was "nothing short of transformational" and that the model is about changing trajectories. - Fabbiney Scarlett, vice principal of Baker Middle School, said Level Up has strengthened connections to school and helped create a more positive and supportive school culture.

What's next: - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound says conversations are underway with additional school districts interested in bringing Level Up to their campuses. - The organization is also directing readers to get involved by becoming a Big or donating. - More information is available through the organization’s social accounts: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.