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Big Brother Rusty grew up in a North Omaha neighborhood that struggled with poverty, drugs and the pressures of gang culture. When Rusty signed up to be a Big, he hoped to get a Little who was from the same neighborhood as him so he could easily relate to the local struggles. Rusty understood that when young people get advice from someone who they feel “doesn’t get it,” the advice can be dismissed quickly. In August 2010, Rusty was introduced to his new Little Brother, Ja’Roderick (JD). Rusty was ecstatic that his new Little Brother was not only from the same neighborhood but that he also attended the same schools and liked the same sports as him. “Our bonds allow him to open up to me about the specific pressures he deals with,” said Big Brother Rusty.

“It was hard at first, meeting some random dude that I didn’t care anything about. I didn’t know what to think, but I found out we had more in common than I expected,” said Little Brother JD.

Rusty and JD now enjoy movies, eating out, laser tag, attending agency activities, and visiting Omaha’s zoo and Worlds of Fun in Kansas City. They spend time at the library doing homework and visit their high school to toss a football or play some hoops. Big Brother Rusty and JD attend sporting events including the College World Series and college football games.

With high school in full swing, Rusty has encouraged JD to think about life beyond high school and explore career opportunities. In 2012, while doing a TV interview together, JD mentioned how much he was enjoying a CAD drawing class he was taking at school. A professor from the University of Nebraska College of Architecture saw the story and contacted the agency to offer JD a scholarship to that summer’s architecture camp for high school students. During the week of camp, apprehension turned to pride, and Little Brother JD couldn’t wait to show his mother and Big Brother his accomplishments from camp. Soon after, JD was able to join the HOBY Leadership Camp, where Rusty volunteers each summer as a counselor. All this success allowed JD to get a new perspective and offer his views to kids from rural communities.

Seeing how much his Big Brother has influenced his new path, JD hopes to someday volunteer. “I have thought about one day giving back to my community and the organization by sharing my story and knowledge with my own Little Brother,” said JD.

Big Brother Rusty mentioned that when he was JD’s age, he “was a person who felt limited by my circumstances. I believed that where you started limited where you could go.” JD has inspired Rusty in also reaching higher than what he thought was the ceiling for him. He recently changed his career in finance to enroll in a post-baccalaureate program to prepare for a career in medicine. When they both first met, they were looking for something. As more time passes by, they realize their bond is something they couldn’t have predicted.

It’s been five years since Big Sister Pamela and Little Sister Skyler have been matched through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida program. Skyler comes from a family that has struggled financially and her family knew that Skyler needed a positive female to look up to. Soon after Skyler’s enrollment, her grandmother passed away, and at this point Skyler really needed someone who could shed some positive light in her life. Fortunately, Big Sister Pamela was the perfect match for Skyler.

Over the years they have shared many lifetime memories, from Skyler’s first time seeing Disney on Ice, to tennis lessons, to playing the violin and everything in-between. One of Skyler’s favorite things that she has done was when Pamela helped her receive a scholarship to a full week at the National Flight Academy at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, which has the world’s largest simulated aircraft carrier. Here, Skyler was able to map out a flight plan and then went down to their simulator to “fly” a plane. This opportunity was a life-changing experience for Skyler, where she learned leadership, critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving skills that she will have the rest of her life.

Little Sister Skyler and Big Sister Pamela often have conversations about grades, boys, the importance of exercise and eating healthy, family and how to be a lady. During these life-changing stages, conversations and adventures, Skyler has progressed into a mature teenage woman. With Pamela’s motivation, Skyler graduated eighth grade with a 4.0 grade point average which helped her qualify for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in her community. Here, she was provided with many challenges, including college-level courses and the ability to blend in with private school students who were also enrolled in the program. Skyler realized that the program was just not for her. Her Big Sister helped her through the transition back to her regular school while ensuring that she was still taking honors classes.

Thanks to the confidence that Big Sister Pamela has bestowed onto Little Sister Skyler, Skyler is no longer the shy person Big Sister Pamela first met. “Pamela has slowly broken me out of the shell that I used to have encaged around me. However, being matched with such an amazing person who is extremely social with people will break any person out of their shell,” said Little Sister Skyler. One of the first activities that Pamela had Skyler do was to pass out brochures at an auction and this helped push Skyler to interact with people she did not know.

Pamela has worked to stay active with her Little Sister. They are big advocates of their local Big Brothers Big Sisters office and they work on many projects together. Pamela also serves as a Board Member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida. Through their work they have helped raised money in many ways, such as in the promotion of a coupon book through Arby’s and via an awards gala video. Their dedication supports the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission and will help more children like Skyler reach their highest potential in life.

There are many indicators to determine if a match is successful. Are the Big and Little comfortable around each other? Are they both getting something positive out of the match? Do they enjoy their time together and want to continue to grow their relationship?

On September 25, 2006, LaBruce first met his Big Brother Grant. Almost nine years later, Grant has been privileged in watching his Little Brother walk across the stage at his high school graduation to accept his diploma, with honors. “I have been able to watch LaBruce grow up. In fact, I have known him longer than I have known my wife. He brings me joy and makes me a better person.”

Grant loves spending time with LaBruce and commented how over the years their choice of outings has evolved. “Years ago, we would spend a lot of time at EdVenture Children’s Museum. Now we go to a lot of University of South Carolina basketball and baseball games.”

LaBruce and Grant were asked why being a mentorship was important. For Grant, his answer was automatic. “There are a lot of kids out there who don’t have a role model. And without any guidance it is easy to go in the wrong direction.” Grant also added that “anyone can be a mentor and you will get as much or more out of the experience than you will ever believe possible.”

When the same question was asked of LaBruce, his answer mirrored his Big’s. “A mentor will guide you to do the right things and help you stay focused.” Staying focused is exactly what LaBruce has done.

After being on the honor roll since the fourth grade, years of mentoring and hard work have paid off. This fall, LaBruce will be heading to Midlands Tech College on a Life Scholarship that he earned after graduating in the top 30% of his class and maintaining above a 3.0 GPA. LaBruce said that he wants to major in Graphic Design with a goal of becoming an architect.

Nine years in the making, this match has been a success every step of the way. Bigs with the dedication like Grant, and Littles with the drive like LaBruce make our job easy and match graduation a celebratory occasion.

Navigating life is not easy for any parent, guardian or child. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Early in K’Vaughn’s life, Kristi recognized this and knew that she needed a male role model to be there for her son. K’Vaughn was matched with Big Brother Chris in 2005, when Little Brother K’Vaughn was just five years old. They were matched through a school-based program and soon after were moved to a community-based program after K’Vaughn asked Chris if they could meet out of school to spend more time doing other activities. Through the nine years of their matching, they have spent their time playing mini golf, riding go-karts, visiting the aquarium, attending ballgames, concerts, movies, swimming and bike riding.

Chris understands the importance of honesty, respect and character through his 27 years of service with the Air Force. He has made sure to bestow these values to K’Vaughn as he goes through his teenage years. Chris has encouraged K’Vaughn in thinking about his future, focusing on education and offering advice when needed. Even in times where K’Vaughn may be disappointed and frustrated, such as having an injury due to sports, Chris has been there to ensure him that things will be okay. Chris has made sure K’Vaughn understands that hard times help people develop patience and reflect on the good things in life. Through this support, teachers have reported seeing improvements in his reading skills, becoming more helpful and confident in the classroom. K’Vaughn is active in many school sports, including basketball, football and baseball, and has often made honor roll. “His future is so bright and I am excited to be along with him for the journey,” says Chris. K’Vaughn said Chris has helped him in every way, but most importantly, he is constantly teaching him “the right way to grow up.”

Chris identifies the necessity of parental partnership, too, demonstrating respect for Kristi’s role and stating how she does a phenomenal job as a mother. He discusses things with Kristi as he identifies the need, but also tries to be cautious to not violate the sense of trust in his mentor/mentee relationship with K’Vaughn. “As a single mother who wants the very best for my son, I could not ask for a better Big Brother, mentor and father figure in K’Vaughn’s life,” Kristi mentioned when talking about her appreciation for Chris and the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. “He likes to make Chris proud and for me that shows what an amazing impact he has had on my son in the best of ways,” Kristi added.

There have been many sporting events, birthdays, graduations and even the attendance of Chris’ retirement ceremony. All of these moments are ones that Chris and K’Vaughn say have helped their relationship transcend the Big/Little framework. They see each other not as Big and Little any more – they see each other like family.

A lot can happen in a decade. When Big Sister Jessica and Little Sister Kianna first met, Little Sister Kianna was just a regular seven-year-old while Big Sister Jessica had yet to meet her future husband. Now, Jessica is helping her Little Sister visit colleges and apply for scholarships, while Kianna has seen Jessica get married and have two children. There have been many lessons that they have learned during the 10-year match, but above all they know through all life transitions, they must not give up on each other. “Life gets complicated and busy, changes happen, but it makes my and Kianna’s relationship that much more worth it,” said Big Sister Jessica.

Their bond is one that grew thanks to open dialogue and a willingness to discuss questions that may be uncomfortable. Being there for Kianna at an early stage in her life, Jessica has been able to guide her through all of the challenges of growing up. Kianna has grown to be a studious, instinctual and insightful young lady. She sees the value in hard work and believes that it will pay off for her. She is accepting of those who are different from her and she sees the value in different points of view. When talking about their friendship, Big Sister Jessica said, “Kianna is the friend who helped me relive my childhood. She reminds me what it was like to be a kid and to enjoy mixing all of the colors into one snow cone because it looked pretty and tasted pretty good, too.” Kianna has also helped Jessica become the mother she is today. Jessica credits her patience, empathy, creativity and awareness to Kianna and their friendship.

Jessica watched as Kianna walked across the stage at her elementary school graduation ceremony, she visited her right before her Junior Prom, and she recently toured college campuses to help Kianna decide where she wanted to apply. Although college is around the corner, they are both certain that nothing will change. They agree that they will still see each other, even saying that it will give them something to look forward to. “Being matched for 10 years, we still learn something new about each other every time we meet. Jessica has helped me become a young lady with plans for the future, and because of her I am ready,” said Little Sister Kianna.

How has being a Big Brother with how has being a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia impacted your life? This was the question that was recently asked to Drew, who just celebrated his three-year match anniversary with his Little Brother, David. Without hesitation, Drew responded, “This experience has been really good for me to be with a child David’s age. When we were matched, he was so young and I have been able to watch him grow and progress. It will help me be a better parent and not take anything in life for granted.”

Drew loves hanging out with David and introducing him to new things. “While growing up, athletics were a huge part of my childhood and I wanted David to have an opportunity to experience that also. We love going to the University of South Carolina sporting events. And with his mom’s permission, this year David was able to join a youth basketball league through my church. He has worked really hard and it is fun to watch him play!”

Drew said that he found out about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Great Columbia through word of mouth from good friends who had been Bigs with the agency and had great experiences. Drew felt prompted to become a volunteer because of his desire to connect with the community and give back.

When asked why being a mentor mattered, Drew believes that it is good for children to have different perspectives, and that it is important for both the Big and Little to be exposed to different experiences. Being a Big also allows Drew to positively impact David’s self esteem. “I want him to grow up and get a good education and be happy. But most of all, I want him to be confident.”

In the fall of 2008, Matt was a college freshman at Butler University (BU) in Indianapolis. Matt was driven, a “go getter,” and someone who wanted to make a difference. He signed up to be a Big through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana shortly after starting at BU. He was soon matched with his Little Brother D’Angelo, a 12-year-old who was not excited about the program and was lacking in some areas. D’Angelo showed little enthusiasm toward life after high school, mainly due to his poor academic performance.

Matt quickly learned D’Angelo’s struggles and saw that he was actually incredibly intelligent and eager to learn, he just needed the motivation to push himself to succeed. D’Angelo didn’t have someone to talk about college and the experience that college brings. Matt saw this as an opportunity to connect with D’Angelo. Many of their outings together were purposefully spent at BU. These visits to the campus gave D’Angelo a new perspective about what college was about. As they would walk through campus, Matt offered guidance to D’Angelo about life and encouraged him that college was within his reach.

During Matt’s senior year of college, he became the President of “Bulldogs Being Bigs,” a club that primarily aims to get Butler students interested in volunteering as Bigs and to organize activities for local matches to enjoy. D’Angelo spoke at one of the meetings to share his initial point of view of the program, and talked about how his negative perception of the program was no longer there. He mentioned how much he learned from Matt, as well as how excited and nervous he was.

“Today, D’Angelo is a completely different person than in 2008. The shy, reserved boy with low self-esteem who I met in October 2008 is nowhere to be seen. In his place stands a confident, determined young man who is excited to see what the future holds,” said Matt. D’Angelo now has the motivation to do well in school, and even found two new passions through school: choir and speech team. D’Angelo said that in middle school he always wanted to join the speech team but he was afraid of what people thought of him. “Matt helped me overcome that fear. He let me know if that if I have the confidence, right information and details to back it up, I can make an amazing speech.”

Another resource Matt used to understand D’Angelo was D’Angelo’s mother. Matt would talk to her to learn things from her perspective and see areas where Matt could be a positive influence. D’Angelo’s mother is grateful for her son’s Big Brother. “He taught D’Angelo to keep a positive attitude and an open mind. D’Angelo feels that he can be anything he wants in this world, and I have Matt to thank for that.”

Sara’s unique story as a Big began in 2005 when she was matched with her Little Sister Shay. A lively and energetic seven-year-old, Shay had limited direction. Over the next three years, Sara and Shay spent time together sharing family-style dinners and enjoying activities in Sara’s backyard. Then, Sara received a call that changed her life forever.

The Department of Human Services contacted Sara with serious news; Shay was being removed from her birth mother’s home. Sara and her husband, Randy, felt fortunate to have the opportunity to welcome Shay into a home where she already felt safe and loved. They did not hesitate for a moment – Shay was adopted on Dec. 17, 2008.

But Sara’s journey as a Big Sister wasn’t over quite yet. In 2009, she signed up once again to volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. Soon after, Sara was matched with Audri, a shy eight-year-old at the time of their meeting. Audri struggled with school and was diagnosed with ADHD, which deeply affected her self-esteem. Over time, Audri and Sara formed a strong bond where Audri felt comfortable sharing her struggles with school and friends. Together, they enjoy riding bikes, baking cookies, shopping and visiting the library. Audri is grateful for the impact her Big Sister has had on her life. “Before BBBS, I felt like nobody wanted to hang out with me,” said Audri. “Once Sara came into my life, everything turned around. She made it fun for me because when we met, everything in the past is gone.”

Just by having fun with Sara, Audri was able to transform her old insecurities into a renewed confidence. Audri soon became an excellent listener and communicator, which improved her performance in school. Audri felt encouraged by Sara’s strength and independence, enabling her to grow into the social butterfly everybody knew she could be. “When we met Sara, she seemed strong, independent, and level headed just like Audri needed,” said Audri’s mother. “Sara was able to see how to help Audri break out of her shell. She acts as her confidante when we, as parents, aren’t able to.”

Sara’s story, exceptional and unique, is a testament to the difference being a Big can make in a Little’s life. Just as Sara said, “There is joy in the little things in life and having a friend to share all of live with is a special blessing. I am forever changed. And it all started by just ‘having fun!’” Sometimes, simply having fun can create lifelong bonds that will change the life of a child in need for the better, forever.

Make your Big Impact by signing up to volunteer today.

Little Brother Ryan, now 11, had been on the waiting list for a Big Brother since age six. He recently got a big surprise. Ryan was selected to be the honorary Little for the Chuck E. Cheese’s April 14th Celebration campaign. Chuck E. served as his official Big Brother during the event. Ryan was so excited to be selected, especially since his favorite foods are pizza and nachos.

Ryan got more exciting news the next day when he was introduced to Seth Boyd of Dallas, Texas, who is now Ryan’s Big Brother. Seth made sure their first outing was special and memorable with a visit to the local fire station. Ryan’s mom, Kanessia, said she is so happy he got his match. She can’t believe how they are already bonding and becoming “buds.”

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program has impacted Ryan’s entire family. Ryan has three sisters and one little brother. His 13-year-old sister is also in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and is excelling with the mentoring she receives from her Big Sister.

Ryan hopes with Seth’s help he can go on and be the first in his family to go to college. His favorite subject in school is science. He loves animals and knows the proper names for many of them. Just ask him, and he can tell you plenty of details about his favorites!

He also wanted to make sure we mentioned in his story that he wants to be a famous basketball player and then a veterinarian. This young man has BIG dreams and now a Big Brother and a Big Mouse to help make those dreams come true.

A mentoring relationship can create a positive change in a child’s life by being a role model and a friend. Child & Family Services’ Big Brothers Big Sisters program gives children of the Greater New Bedford, Massachusetts area an opportunity to have a supportive mentor in their lives. Many times the program creates relationships that have long-lasting bonds continuing into adulthood.

A great example is the match of Little Brother Robbie and his Big Brother Derek. Matched in 2005, the duo is still very close and they keep in touch often. Recently, Derek attended Robbie’s graduation from Framingham State University where Robbie received his bachelor’s degree in speech and performance with a minor in journalism.

Before meeting Derek, Robbie was struggling academically in school, had weight issues, and was generally bored with his life. Upon being matched, Robbie finally met the challenge he was willing to conquer. Derek made him feel like he had someone who was challenging him for the better. “Derek motivated me,” Robbie explained.

After some time of meeting with Derek, Robbie began to notice some major differences in his life. “I was a heavyset boy and the doctor said by the time I was 17, I could have diabetes,” Robbie shared. With Derek’s help, Robbie was able to lose 100 pounds! His grades also began improving. “He helped me pass middle school math,” Robbie said. “He taught me until I understood it.”

Most notable about the relationship between Derek and Robbie is the special bond they share. Throughout the years they have been able to spend quality time hanging out and going to Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics games. In 2007, Derek took Robbie to an unforgettable Red Sox game at the Mass Mentoring Night at Fenway Park. At the game, Robbie was unexpectedly asked to throw out the first pitch. “My heart was racing; I was excited; I was pumped!” Robbie said, grinning from ear to ear.

The first pitch at Fenway Park was a very important moment for Robbie and Derek. They both credit this occasion as the time they realized that through hard work, dedication, and the strong bond that they had formed, Robbie was now out of his shell and ready to grow. “It was a good feeling knowing that I have made a positive difference in his life and I will continue to be part of his life,” Derek stated.

“Derek had a profound impact on my life,” Robbie said. “He helped me keep my grades up, stay healthy and get into college.” Robbie graduated from New Bedford Vocational High School in 2010, and continued his education at Framingham State to follow his dream of becoming a sports broadcaster. “In college I was on track to graduate in six years, but with Derek continuing to push me I finished in four-and-a-half years,” Robbie said.

The relationship between Derek and Robbie is a testament to what mentoring can do to change a life. Derek’s positive influence gave Robbie a better opportunity in life. Robbie is now a successful and educated adult who has a bright future ahead of him. Their bond remains strong and they continue to express the importance that their relationship has played in each other’s life.