The Big/Little Project
A mentorship network for Portland Public Schools students, founded by my sister.
What it is
High school guidance tends to reach students who already know someone: an older sibling, a family friend, a neighbor who went through the same application. Portland Public Schools has cut its budget for four straight years, including counselor and student-support positions (KGW8, May 2024).
Big/Little connects PPS students with mentors who went through it recently. It sits alongside school counseling rather than replacing it, and it isn’t affiliated with the district.
Our roles
Isabella, a current PPS senior, founded it and runs it. I advise on the product: what the site includes, how mentors apply and appear, and what is in and out of scope.
What’s live
Connections
Mentor directory
Profiles listing each mentor’s college, the PPS school they came from, and what they can help with, from applications and scholarships to athletics recruiting.
Community
Moderated question board
A question board where posts and replies are reviewed before they appear. It currently shows example threads rather than student posts.
Discover Portland
Opportunity guide
Portland organizations offering paid work, volunteering, and student programs, with who each is open to and when applications usually open.
Status
As of August 2026, the directory listed more than 20 mentor profiles across several PPS high schools, and Discover Portland listed more than 65 organizations and programs. In-person events are planned as recurring formats.
How matching works
Mentors apply and describe what they can help with, how much time they have, and how many students they want. Each application is reviewed individually, and approved mentors write their own public profile and consent to it being shown. Students sign up with what they want help with, and introductions are made by hand rather than automatically.