Forty-four pairs of eyes trace the path of a mustard-yellow school bus as it bumps down the cracked pavement and slowly squeals to a stop. Forty-four lips curl into smiles in anticipation of the chaos that will be unleashed momentarily.\nAnd the happy chaos hits the instant the fingerprint-smeared doors of the bus slide apart.\nChildren are stomping, screaming, hugging, twirling, shoving, laughing, clinging and climbing. A burst of energy and noise cuts through the stillness of the afternoon as the swarm scrambles to find their "big buddies."\nThis wild confusion is organized by College Mentors for Kids! BloomingKids!, a statewide program that pairs local children with college students to provide a cultural, social and educational experience for the young girls and boys. \nThe program, which eventually grew to the statewide level, began in 1995 when former IU students Kristin Fogg and Heidi Schmidt felt children between the ages of 6 and 9 needed stability in their life in addition to encouragement regarding higher education. \nFollowing an in-depth interview conducted by juniors Jennifer O'Donnell and Kristen Corbett, the IU Chapter presidents of BloomingKids!, mentors are selected. Their decision is based on enthusiasm, responsibility and the candidate's ability to commit. \nO'Donnell said she doesn't want mentors who are going to continuously miss their weekly, two-hour session with their buddy because this program was specifically created to establish the stability these children might lack in their lives.\nThis dependence can work both ways.\n"I counted on my buddy being there, and when she wasn't, I felt really let down," O'Donnell, who was also a mentor last year, said. \nPart of a long waiting list, children from Fairview Elementary School and Unionville Elementary School are chosen by their principals. \n"Fairview Three! Fairview Three over here!" Matt O'Brien, a sophomore and general manager for BloomingKids!, shouted, successfully organizing the mess of high-fives and piggyback rides into four clusters of 10 student-child pairs within two minutes. \nHe handed out neon-green journals decorated with hand-drawn pastel unicorns and tigers to the "young buddies" of his group, reminding them to complete a page with their mentor after the scheduled activity.\nO'Brien is one of the four general managers who attend the Wednesday afternoon group. He supervises the activities of the 40 mentors that work one-on-one with their young buddies, making sure things are running smoothly around Showalter Fountain.\nTwo general managers monitor the 20 mentor-child pairs in the Thursday session, compiling a total of six general managers who are called upon to oversee the activities of all 60 mentors in the program. \nThe general managers don't have buddies of their own because they focus more on discipline.
"Snack time!"\nChaos erupted again as mentors caught up with their buddies, whom they only see once a week. The kids pulled school pictures and spelling words from pink and green backpacks swirled with rainbows, bright butterflies and Bugs Bunny.\nSix-year-old Taneka Walters, the young buddy of sophomore Erica Zehner, munched on an apple-cinnamon Nutra-Grain bar and waved to Joseph Marraro, a school friend Zehner called Taneka's "boyfriend of the day."\nTaneka pranced around in a circle and eventually tumbled on top of Zehner's back, whispering into her ear. "Joseph said he wanted to kiss me," she said, giggling and pushing aside her long blond hair.
"Activity time!"\n"It stinks in here," Taneka said loudly as all three groups enter the Latino Cultural Center, La Casa, scrunching up her face and pinching her nose with her right thumb and pointer finger at the musty, closed-in smell of the small, gray-walled room.\nEach mentor is required to plan either a community, cultural or higher education activity for a given week. That Wednesday's experience occurred within the walls of La Casa. Small winter coats and backpacks decorated with anything from Pooh and Tigger to blurry red stains littered the room's floors. \nThe kids sat among the mess, staring wide-eyed with their mouths open as they listened to Director Lillian Casillas describe "El dia de los muertos," or "the day of the dead." Casillas ended her lecture with a reward -- Mexican gum. The kids rushed to get favorite flavors, jostling each other and running back and forth for seconds, thirds and an occasional fourth helping. \nChomping contentedly on a wad of her sugary prize, Taneka searched for Joseph as she headed into the activity room. Zehner laughed as she watched the romance between the young lovers unfold during arts and crafts. \n"I made this for you," Joseph said looking at the ground as he handed a bright yellow paper flower to Taneka. She grinned widely and then tackled him to the ground.
"Journal time!"\nStudents and mentors huddled together, recording their feelings as well as the activities they completed for the day in their journals, records the children will take home on chosen dates to their parents and teachers for further evaluation during the yearlong program. \nThe sun's rays stretched longer, melting into the horizon and marking the close of the session.\n"Give your journals to me!" O'Brien called out after giving each well-behaved child a sticker and signaling the official end of the two-hour session. But the kids weren't ready to leave yet. \n"Tag!" Taneka yelled as she hit Zehner's arm and ran away laughing. Zehner chased her in a circle, kicking up the crisp, rusted reds and oranges of fall. Breathing heavy, with her fur-lined purple coat hanging off her shoulder, Taneka trotted over to Zehner as she heard the rumble of the school bus and wrapped her in a great big hug. She waved quickly as she walked up the stairs of the bus. \nForty-four smiles linger as the faded school bus rolled away.
