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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The ‘Big Brothers, Big Sisters’ Program has left Ottumwa High School, but a new program has taken its place….Iowa Kids University.

“This is a new and independent non-profit,” said Sue Huff, Executive Director of both the new and the previous program. “We just began at the end of June and we are back in the schools serving the same kids that we have served for the last seven years. We're working at Wilson, Wildwood and James, and right now we're serving about 65 - 70 kids, and we're really happy that we're able to do that because we didn't want to leave the children with no services.”

The new program is similar to ‘Big Brothers, Big Sisters,’ which ended in May, due to funding issues.

“We do academic and social support for kids after school,” said Huff. “We provide mentors, who we recruit from the community. A lot of my high school kids here are mentors and what they do is they agree to come in and work with a child for an hour a week after school, under our supervision.”

The volunteers play learning games with the children, as well as help them with reading and homework.

Volunteers from the high school are currently working on putting together a Fall Festival event, which will host a haunted barn, a play-area for kids, as well as baking and craft sales, and a quilt display.

Students from Ottumwa High School play a large part in the organization.

“We supply a lot of the man-power and the labor for [Iowa Kids University] and Fall Festival this weekend is one of those efforts where we're going to try to raise money that will eventually all go back into the funding of Iowa Kids University,” said Mike Cardin, Ottumwa High School Marketing Coordinator. “We're learning about marketing, we're learning about giving. Iowa Kids University is going to benefit because they're going to be able to fulfill their mission and everybody that's a part of Iowa Kids University is going to benefit because the organization exists.”

The Fall Festival will take place one mile south on Hwy 63, Oct. 16, from 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., as well as Oct. 17, from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Signs will point guests to the event.