The following is a full transcript of the interview given by MR.AHMED to The Warrior Messenger’s ASIANAH ROSA about the WMS BBBS
(The Warrior Messenger) ASIANAH ROSA, HOST: How do you spell your name?
MR.AHMED: M-r-A-h-m-e-d
AR: What is big brothers big sisters?
MA: Big brothers big sisters is an organization that facilitates mentorship throughout the youth, more so over at woodbridge middle school we have a chapter that facilitates through middle schoolers and high schoolers, So the littles would be the woodbridge middle school students and the bigs would be the high school students. We also have another chapter within the township that gets facilitated throughout colonia middle school and colonia high school, and that’s for that community in particular.
AR: When did you join big brothers big sisters?
MA: I began running the club as a liaison for the school last year for the 2024-2025 school year, since then I’ve been the sole liaison and I’ve been continuing to run it myself along side the woodbridge high school advisor Ms.Balle
AR: If you had to inform someone about this club but can only explain in one sentence what would you say?
MA: Mentorship, Advocacy, and respect, for oneself and another.
AR: Why did you join this club?
MA: I began running this club based off the sole idea of mentorship, it brings this idea that we all need someone to guide us, no matter what we’re doing in life, there’s always someone who’s done it before, and they’re able to tell us what to do and what not to do. So I wanted to give this opportunity to the students at Woodbridge Middle School, and honestly my personal opinion i feel like it’s a wonderful program to be apart of, because it shows you what opportunities lie ahead, and just because something doesn’t work out for you, it can open pathways towards other bigger and better things. So I wanted to run that concept down to the students here at the school, and hopefully the highschoolers run that down with them as well.
AR: How do you think this club affects WMS
MA: It brings a more positive environment for the students to engage and gives them something to do after school. look forward to meeting their big, every two weeks, in a month sometimes every other week, depending on the schedule and how the months laid out. The cultural and just the natural environment in the school gets uplifted because everyone has a sense of belonging because they’re able to talk to someone who’s been in similar shoes as them, in middle school and now progress into a better and much more stream line goal in high school.
AR: What is the difference between being around middle schoolers all day to being around high schoolers?
MA: So with middle schoolers you’re able to see what their transition from elementary school is like and understand the nuances of what their development is, what they need help accomplishing, how can you guide them to the right path. With highschoolers, its more so, ok im getting you ready for the real world and what can i do to make my pathways more achievable, what resources are available to me, what resources can i find myself and how can i become a resources for myself, and those are one of the things i found out when i was in high school, which inspired myself to become a teacher because i wanted to become a resource for the people around me and the future leaders of america, the youth. So that’s why when given the opportunity to run big brothers big sisters, it was about time to give back in the way that I could.
AR: Is there anything you would like to add?
MA: That’ll be all, I do appreciate this interview and bringing light to our club and organization here.
