Togo RPCV Phynessa McCurry Joins Big Brothers Big Sisters
Phynessa McCurry Joins Big Brothers Big Sisters
posted September 1, 2004
Phynessa McCurry has joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tennessee as director of the agency’s school-based mentoring program. The program, entitled “Bigs in Schools,” matches children who need a caring adult for a friend while they are in school.
Ms. McCurry grew up in Whitwell and attended Baylor School. She has her BA in College Scholars with an emphasis in International Relations from University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and a Masters inf Theological Studies from Divinity School at Harvard. Her area of study was Religion and Poverty Alleviation
Following graduation from Harvard, she served with the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa, as a natural resources management extension agent, teaching agricultural practices to people in the small village of Soudou-Tchalimde.
As the Program Director, Ms. McCurry will coordinate the matches between elementary children in six area schools and adults, providing support and case management. In addition, she will work with area principals to identify children who may benefit from the program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chattanooga is a local, not-for-profit, service agency that seeks to match caring adults with children living with single parents, foster parents, grandparents or in group homes for mentoring. In addition to traditional matches, the agency matches professional adults with children through a school-based mentoring program, and families and couples with children in order to allow children of single parents to have a vision for how a married couple interacts.
The agency is supported by local contributions and United Way of Greater Chattanooga. For more information on becoming a Big Brother, Big Sister, recommending a child or making a contribution to the agency, call the office at 423/698-8016.
