Rice Students Share Time With Children

Rice Students Share Time With Children

RICE NEWS STAFF

Dec. 3, 1998

Rice students act as role models for children from Cage Elementary school and participate in activities ranging from pumpkin carvings to bowling as part of the Rice Outreach Mentoring Program (ROMP).

Eighteen Rice student volunteers from ROMP regularly meet for three hours each Sunday with an equal number of students from Houston Independent School District’s Project Chrysalis, a program designed to nurture children who most need support and personal attention.

Kimberly Kho ’97 and Ranji McNeil, a Sid Richardson senior, started ROMP last year because they saw a need for an outreach program that is similar to Big Brothers and Big Sisters. The idea behind ROMP is to provide a mentor for young elementary school-age students. The focus is on fun activities, such as carving pumpkins, tie-dyeing shirts or bowling.

“I wanted to be able to make sure that these kids [know], at least for three hours a day, that there is someone who is interested in their personal well-being,” McNeil said. “If these kids can believe they have options and they have someone upon whom they can rely–that will make a lot of difference.”

Although ROMP has a three-hour volunteer commitment every Sunday, that commitment does not necessarily stop when the young kids leave.

Volunteers often receive phone calls and e-mail from the children, who usually want to say hello, talk about their day or ask if they can bring a friend to the next outing, said Lisa Solberg, a Lovett sophomore and a ROMP volunteer and organizer.

Perhaps the most popular event is the annual picnic for the kids and their families. The picnic is held on campus in the early fall and includes a cookout and a tour of Rice, including visits to the Frog Wall, Willy’s Statue, Lovett Hall and some of the academic facilities.

Solberg believes in giving back to the community and found ROMP a good opportunity to volunteer and be with kids.

“I have an older brother and sister, and I grew up being supported,” Solberg said. “I think that it is my turn to be somebody’s support. I have the opportunity to do it. It is something I wanted to do–be involved with kids. It was a good match for me.”

To volunteer for ROMP e-mail either Solberg at lsolberg@rice.edu or McNeil at rangi@rice.edu or contact the Community Involvement Center at (713) 527-4970 or service@rice.edu.