GE engineer making a big difference

LYNN – Sometimes all it takes to make a difference in the life of a child is a little bit of time, and for GE aerospace engineer Jamie Schallek offering his time to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Massachusetts was a sacrifice he was eager to make.The Cambridge resident became involved with his little brother, eight-year-old Alejandro of Brighton, in 2006, and has made such a difference in the young man’s life he has been nominated by the boy’s mother for the 2008 “Big of the Year Award” to be handed out today at a ceremony in Boston.Along with Schallek’s potential honor, General Electric of Lynn will also be honored as a company by the charity organization with its induction in to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Partners Hall of Fame.Known for its charitable work throughout Greater Boston, GE inspired Schallek to take part in a community service effort on his own, and he says Big Brothers and Big Sisters was the perfect opportunity for him.”I wanted to get more involved in the community,” he said. “But I wanted a volunteer activity where I could really see the results of what I was doing. Something a bit more long term that I could sink my teeth in to. So far it has been a great experience. I am a huge advocate of this program from start to finish.”A Maine native and 2005 Boston University graduate, Schallek says working for General Electric has really pushed him to become active in the community.”GE is really active in volunteerism,” he said. “Within the company it is kind of expected that people participate in volunteer activities.”Schallek and Alejandro meet anywhere from three days a week to a few times a month, depending on everyone’s schedule, and participate in activities ranging from help with homework to building sand castles on Long Beach in Nahant.Alejandro’s mother is single and working and doesn’t have a lot of time to spend with him on her own, so Jamie likes to take him out in Boston to help him experience the city that he is growing up next to.”When his mother requested a big she said she wanted someone who was willing to take him out of the house and show him things in Boston,” he said. “I make it a point to get him out and show him around the city, we also play basketball and attend Red Sox games. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are great with providing those types of resources.”Schallek says Alejandro quieted many of the fears he had going in to his community service commitment, and now he realizes that kids in his situation often just need a little bit of companionship to help them reach their full potential.”He is very polite, very funny and he can be very mischievous in a good eight-year-old kind of way,” he said. “All of the fears that I had going in to the program about maybe having behavioral problems or other issues were cast aside when I met my little.”Schallek says he is not sure why he was nominated for the award, and does not know many details about the criteria for becoming eligible for the honor.Whether or not he actually wins the award tonight, he says he is simply honored to be making a difference in someone else’s life, and helping Alejandro realize and reach his full potential.”I was honestly pretty surprised (to be nominated). It means a lot to me and it adds in a huge way to the positive experience that I am having,” he said. “It makes me feel like I am successful in what the organization is trying to do. There are no limits to the program, the relationship is what you want to make it. I can see myself doing this for a long time.”