Last week, a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Plains mentor was awarded the Ted Rogers Scholarship. Since 2017, the scholarship has been handed out nationwide, helping students entering their first year of post-secondary education.

This year there were 17 winners of the $2,500 from across Canada, one of which was Portage's own Sydney Rumpli.

Dawn Froese, executive director for BBBS, explains that the program has known Sydney for a while as she is a mentor and was part of their post-secondary education and career readiness training program.

Froese talks about the relationship between Sydney and the child she is mentoring.

"They've been having a great time, and the boy is slowly coming out of his shell, they're doing things like playing Lego and Monopoly. So, she's having a great impact on that student."

Froese notes that Sydney found out the news at a national Zoom meeting.

Rumpli says it was a great feeling knowing she was one of the people selected to receive the scholarship after filling out all the paperwork to apply.

"It's kind of like a weight lifted off your shoulders, and it just felt nice that they liked what I had to say."

Rumpli notes that she plans on going into health care, following in the footsteps of her older sister and mother. 

"I just kind of want to be like them like."

Rumpli talks about mentoring the next generation.

"I feel like it's a really great volunteer experience because you can really see how much more comfortable and talkative your kid gets over the year. I think it's really great just so that kids that maybe aren't as adjusted can get the chance to maybe feel a bit more comfortable talking about themselves and stuff."

Rumpli adds that she got into BBBS by following in the footsteps of her friends, who made their experiences sound like an excellent opportunity.