New director takes reins of adult-child mentor program

Todd Lengacher’s life was shaped by mentors, which led him to step into the role himself. Now, he oversees mentors throughout the Flathead Valley as the new executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County.

“I have benefited, absolutely, from three or four mentors in my life who have shaped me and even directed my own life path” Lengacher, 51, said.

Lengacher brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in education, working with youth and families in different capacities as a teacher and professor, department chair, high school principal, assistant head of school, director and dean. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mathematics from Western Washington University.

Whether working remotely, or traveling/living abroad, he’s worked in communities in 13 countries. His career in education taught him the value of diversity in approaches and philosophies. He said an educational model could be quite effective, but looks very different using an example of a large school in England and a one-room school in Nicaragua.

“I’ve given up the notion that education needs to look a particular way,” Lengacher said.

The overlap of objectives in education and Big Brothers Big Sisters is apparent to Lengacher, “with similar goals of helping raise young children, helping them develop into contributing self-reliant confident adults,” he said.

And it can’t be accomplished alone. Lengacher is a believer in the adage “It takes a village to raise a child.”

“We have to be engaged in our community if we have an expectation to continue to be this amazing, vibrant, place we enjoy,” Lengacher said.

Adults in the community can work with youth through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County by becoming mentors known as “bigs.”

“Our list of mentors, of ‘bigs’ that want to be involved is always shorter than our list of kids that are desiring those relationships,” he said.

Through a screening process that encompasses an application, background and reference checks and interview, mentors are matched with children, called “littles.” The match is based on numerous elements such as personality and interests and input from parents or guardians, he said.

Mentors go through orientation and learn the needs of the child they’re matched with and how to encourage their development, according to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Adult mentors need to be 18 or older and are asked to commit to a year of spending a minimum of eight to 12 hours a month with their little, who may range in age from 6 to 15.

Lengacher said the time spent together doesn’t have to equate to elaborate activities, rather it’s the consistency and quality of time spent that matters. The nonprofit also organizes activities and events for bigs and littles.

“What the kids, I think, benefit the most from, is consistency. An adult shows up when they say they will show up,” Lengacher said.

Big Brothers Big Sisters checks in with matches on a regular basis, he said, and staff are available for support if questions or concerns come up.

“We help them deepen the relationships,” Lengacher said, noting that in any relationship, “there’s highs and lows and disagreements. One of our roles is to be there and work through that. Also, just the proactive piece of reaching out to them and asking what’s working.”

People who may only be able to commit an hour a week can also be involved in mentoring youth through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County’s Lunch Pail Pals program. Through the program, adults visit their little at participating schools to eat lunch, play games, read, or help with homework.

Serving in the executive director position for about a month, Lengacher outlined some goals.

“The primary goal is continue to ensure high quality Big Brother Big Sister matches,” he said.

Another priority for him is strengthening the presence of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County in communities outside of Kalispell, where the nonprofit’s main office is located at 137 Main St.

“One of my goals is to reach out into the communities that are smaller,” he said, “I want us to be more representative of our name.”

For more information call 406-752-0092 or visit www.bbbsfc.org.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.