New mentoring program at Lufkin elementary school helps students learn in the lunchroom

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Thanks to a new mentoring program at Brandon Elementary School, students will have the opportunity to learn in the lunchroom.

It’s called the Lunch Buddy program.

Don Muhlbach spends about a half an hour once a week on Thursday’s, mentoring students in the Lunch Buddy Program at Brandon Elementary School.

“I just think it’s important to give back to the children and to help them. I have had several students and we’ve have had several people from the community that have be in the host program for years," said Mulbach.

5th grader Jakevon Moore has been Mulbach’s mentee since the 3rd and says he has learned a lot from him and the math and reading exercises.

“He’s a really good dude," said Moore.“It helps me on my math because I’m not really that good at division.”

They also get to talk about football a lot which is something they both have in common.

“We talk about his son and the Detroit lions and he showed me pictures of when he goes to the games," said Moore.

“He loves sports and I love sports and we talk a lot about that. In fact, we were talking during our session today and I said do you like these activities and he said yes these activities are good but I would just like to talk. So I think it’s real important that you maintain that conversation with the child and you listen to them," said Mulbach.

But if there is one important lesson Moore has learned through the program he would say that Mulchback has kept him focused on his academics.

“To focus on school and not sports because you have to do school before you can do sports," said Moore.

Currently, there are more than 40 mentors that volunteer in the Lunch Buddy Program and would like to add more to the program.

If you are interested, you may contact the school.

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