They attend workshops and after-school programs where they learn about such topics as how to handle bullies, saying no to drugs, and the importance of a family sit-down meal. About 300 children take part in the ACHIEVEability organization each year. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, he expects to help more than 10 times as many. “I wanted to follow my purpose,” he says. The Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors, who are called “Bigs,” help the “Littles” with schoolwork, encourage them to exercise, and provide a sounding board. The Littles also can talk to the Bigs about issues such as bullying that they might not feel comfortable telling someone else about, Mr. Allen says. The Bigs help the Littles figure out solutions to problems. In a 2009 poll, 90 percent of former Littles said their Bigs helped them “feel better about themselves” and “make better choices throughout their childhood,” according to the Big Brothers Big Sisters website. Mr. Allen says that at ACHIEVEability he learned the importance of harnessing the community’s strength to make a difference in people’s lives. He plans to use that lesson in his new job. “Change is part of life,” he says. “If Marcus can do it, you can do it.” —By Healthy Hope staff Hope Partnership for Education Illustration by Amaya Bankowski, Eisenhower Healthy Panther