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In 2009, Kylie was, to use her words, “a lost teenage girl trying to find [her] way.” Struggling with moving back and forth between her parents, Kylie simply hoped that having a Big Sister would provide her with a way to have fun. She joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Muskingum, Guersney, Morgan and Noble Counties and was matched with her Big Sister Susan. Before long, Kylie realized that she was getting a lot more out of their match than just some fun times. Kylie credits her Big Sister with helping to put her in the position she’s in today: heading to college at Zane State in Zanesville, Ohio.

During her last week in high school, Kylie received an assignment to write a letter to someone who has positively impacted her life.  Here is Kylie’s letter.

Dear Susan,

It’s been a while now, but I remember the day we met when I was 13.  At first I was scared, but then I realized that you weren’t there for a pay check, you were there because you wanted to help a child in need.  At first I didn’t think I needed help; I was just in it for fun.  Later in my life I realized I did need help.  I was a lost teenage girl trying to find my way.  When you and I got matched it was for a reason.  I struggled a lot between going back and forth between my parents; even though they were mad you always did your best to make up for it.  Without you in my life I honestly don’t believe I would be going to Zane State this fall.  I believe I would probably have a baby, or not consider college or even have the good grades that I have now.  You don’t understand the positive impact you have made in my life.

This last week of school we are writing letters to people who have made a positive impact on our life and you’re the first person, the only person, who fits for this assignment.  I have so many things I am thankful for but having you in my life is definitely one of them.

Susan you don’t always understand everything I go through, maybe you’re not supposed to, but you just being there to listen to me when I talk and when I cry helps so much.  You even let me be a part of your amazing family.  I am so grateful that they also accept me.  I could sit and talk for hours about everything I appreciate that you do for me.  The list goes on and on.

Just this last week when we went to the movies and dinner, you said you wanted to be at my wedding and be there when I do have babies, and sometimes might even want to babysit.  That just means the world to me that you took me in under your wing without even knowing me.

Every time Ashley would ask how the match was going you always told her that things were going good.  I was always worried that the next time we were going to meet it wouldn’t be you.

You and I have more than a “Big Sister” relationship.  You are an extra mother figure, but you are more so my best friend!  I don’t know what I would ever do without you.

Please don’t change the way you are, you’re the sweetest, most caring woman in the world; you would do anything for anyone before yourself – me.  I’m just very grateful!!!!

Love Always,

Kylie

In 2003, Wendy was an 8-year-old girl being raised in a single parent household by her mother. She enrolled in Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters so that she could have a strong female role model – someone to look up to, who could be a friend, but who was not a family member. Before too long, Wendy met Kate Sawyer, her new Big Sister.

Having another caring adult in her life like her Big Sister Kate helped Wendy to improve her self-confidence. With each meeting and activity the two participated in, their friendship continued to grow. With the help of Kate’s mentorship, Wendy became involved in various activities, including playing varsity-level sports in school, maintaining above average grades and holding a part-time job!

Both Wendy and Kate also remained quite active, participating in agency events together, including representing Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters through participation in the speakers’ bureau. All of these events and activities over the years, coupled with Kate’s guidance and mentorship, resulted in a surge of confidence, as well as improvement in social skills, for Wendy.

“Kate, you are one of the many influences that have shaped my life,” Wendy said. “Without the push from you and my mother, I don’t know where I would be at this moment. All I know is that I am striving for success and college is my number one priority. I know you are successful because you went to college and you support my desire to continue my education. Thank you for the opportunity to move forward with my dream.”

In 2012, Wendy enrolled at the University of California – Los Angeles, where she has flourished and has become very involved in student life.  She has even had the opportunity to study abroad, travelling to both Europe and Japan!

There are children in your community who could use a strong role model in their lives. With your help and support as a donor or volunteer, we can continue to reach toward our goal of ensuring that all children can achieve success in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters relies on our staffers, our amazing Big Brother and Big Sister volunteer mentors and our supporters to provide professionally supported one-to-one relationships, matching Bigs with Littles.

At the age of fourteen, Ashton was matched with his Big Brother Scott as part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin. Ashton grew up without a strong male figure in his life, and enrolled in the program with the hope of finding a mentor and role model. Two years later, their match is still going strong.

“I wanted to get involved, because I did feel that I had a lot to offer, and I wanted to share that with somebody,” said Scott.

Ashton was apprehensive early on in the match, like any young person would be.

“At first, I was kind of iffy, because I really didn’t know him,” Ashton explained. “But as time went on, I actually felt very comfortable around him.”

Ashton recognized that having a role model like Scott would be a positive experience for him. Scott understands that there are a lot of things that Ashton has not had the opportunity to learn.

“I think I’ve taught him a lot of things he needs to know in life,” said Scott. “There are a lot of little things that so many kids nowadays don’t know; they’re not exposed to.”

Scott has a shop at his house, where he and Ashton have been working on countless projects together. Ashton has enjoyed learning about working with tools, doing wiring, changing tires…all things he has never done before. He and Scott have enjoyed working on these projects, in addition to spending time outside fishing or barbecuing.

When asked if he had a favorite thing that he and Scott have done together, Ashton replied: “I honestly can’t think of a favorite thing, because any time I spend with Scott is always better than the last.”

A little over five months ago, Heather met her new Big Sister for the first time. Heather wanted to sign up with Big Brothers Big Sisters because she did not have someone like a Big Sister in her life. She wanted someone outside of her family who she could turn to. Heather was looking for someone to spend time with; someone who could teach her new things, but also someone she could be goofy with! Before long, she was matched with her Big Sister Cara through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County.

Like Heather, Cara faced challenges during her youth.  Cara realized that having a mentor in her life could have made a great difference. As a result, she committed to becoming a Big Sister.

Cara and Heather enjoy doing a variety of activities together, including pottery, visiting flea markets, going bowling, picnicking and playing with puppies. In addition to the fun stuff, Heather and Cara spend time discussing various issues Heather faces, like bullying, and the importance of education, including improving her grades.

Discussing with Heather the importance of her schoolwork and grades has actually served to strengthen their bond. They have even come to an agreement that if Heather improves her grades, Cara will take her to see the band One Direction.

“They are a great match, they get along so well and Cara is helping Heather tremendously,” Heather’s mom said. “Cara encourages her to clean her room and asks her how things are going. Heather used to get down and easily affected by things kids would say to her at school, but now she says ‘I don’t care what they say!’”

In just five months, Heather and Cara have already invested a lot in their relationship, yielding positive results for both of them.

The impact of a stable mentor-figure in a child’s life cannot be understated. With your help, either as a donor or a volunteer, Big Brothers Big Sisters can continue to provide professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring and positively impact the lives of youth, such as Heather!

Tennessee’s Big Brother of the Year Ken Miller and his Little Brother Deonte have celebrated seven years together in a community-based match with Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee. Their friendship has become not only more than either expected, but also serves as an excellent representation of the positive impact the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has on children in communities across the United States.

Ken and Deonte were matched in 2007, when Deonte was ten years old. Ken and Deonte were matched in 2007, when Deonte was ten years old. Deonte had grown up in a family of all women: a sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. His mother Shana recognized that Deonte needed a positive male role model in his life, so she signed him up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee, where he eventually met Ken.

Ken and Deonte often spent the early years of their match going to ballgames, watching movies, woodworking or cooking. They have also seen their fair share of sports, attending a number of University of Tennessee games, and even a Tennessee Titans NFL game! While enjoying all those activities, both Ken and Deonte placed plenty of focus on Deonte’s academics, preparing him for college.

Ken and Deonte’s remarkable growth as a Big Brother-Little Brother match demonstrates Ken’s understanding of his Little Brother through each phase of his life and his interests.

“(This match) is the best thing to ever happen to Deonte,” says his mother Shana.

Ken has stood by Deonte through good and bad times, including during what he describes as an exceptionally meaningful day: the day Deonte first met his grandfather in 2007.

“The relationship Ken and Deonte have is what we hope is achieved for all of our matches,” says Doug Kose, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee. “Ken’s commitment to Deonte is truly inspiring.”

Deonte, now a high school graduate, is preparing for when he starts at Tennessee Tech University, where he plans to study mechanical engineering.  When asked what he feels he has gained most from having Ken as a Big Brother and mentor, Deonte replies: “Leadership, guidance and focus.”

Maggie Benitez began her journey with Big Brothers Big Sisters when she and her Little Sister Diana were matched in 2007 as a part of the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Los Angeles. Diana’s parents recognized the value and importance of providing her with additional support. She was among the first in their predominantly Latino community to enroll in the community-based program.

Early in their match, Maggie drew on her own experience with a personal mentor, planning to help Diana enjoy life while also working hard to set attainable goals. Maggie has demonstrated enthusiasm and creativity as a mentor, exposing Diana to new adventures and places, and utilizing agency and community resources to come up with activities for the two to enjoy.

Over the past several years together, Big Sister Maggie and Little Sister Diana have explored and discovered the community around them, going on educational and cultural outings. Maggie has always strived to expose Diana to different elements of the culture and history of Southern California. Together, they document their experiences by building elaborate scrapbooks that detail their activities and fun times.

Maggie has worked diligently with Diana to help provide her with direction in terms of academics, including helping her to win a scholarship opportunity that sent her to UCLA for a week to learn about motivation, leadership and goal-setting! Now, two years into high school, Diana is excelling academically, and looking at various college opportunities, including visiting schools on the East Coast this summer.

In addition to their match activities, Maggie and Diana have represented Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters at various fundraisers, recruiting events, community forums and Spanish-language interviews on Univision.

“I have seen Maggie and Diana develop individually and as an extraordinary example of the mission of Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Mercedes Mantilla, their original primary match support specialist and now Director of Development at Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Diana has come a long way from being a shy 9-year-old girl who was looking for a friend. With the help of her Big Sister Maggie, Diana has learned the importance of structure and goal-setting, planning and commitment, and staying active in the community. Diana is very appreciative of the strong role model she has in Maggie, noting that even though she is getting older, she will always look up to her Big Sister.

Kendra and her Little Brother Dillon were matched nearly three years ago as part of the school-based program on Oahu with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hawaii.

Kendra was a senior in high school when she first met Dillon, who was a shy, quiet boy with a lot of unhappiness in his life. It took time, but eventually their friendship grew, and in turn, so did Dillon’s confidence and his positivity. With the help of his Big Sister, Dillon began to break out of his shell.

During their first year, Kendra and her Little Brother spent time learning about each other’s interests. A shared enjoyment of sports and outdoor games led them to discover that they both liked softball and baseball. Even if Kendra was a “girl,” Little Brother Dillon was excited and pleased to discover a sport they could both enjoy together!

After their first year as a match, Kendra headed off to college. Dillon, then only nine years old, refused to continue on in the program if his Big Sister Kendra would not return. By this point, their friendship had grown, and Kendra knew that despite going away to college, nothing would change between them – she would return each week to continue enjoying spending time with her Little Brother Dillon.

Due in part to her dedication to her Little Brother, and because of her commitment to working to help make a difference in Dillon’s life, Kendra was recently named Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hawaii’s Oahu School-Based Big Sister of the Year.

Little Brother Easton first met his Big Brother Tony at a young age. Now a high school graduate and looking to embark on his future, he is no longer little, having outgrown Tony. Matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, their bond stayed strong over many years because of the friendship that quickly grew between them.

At the beginning of their match, Easton was shy and quiet. He credits Tony with helping him to break out of his shell, and to be more open.

“I was shy, but that’s to be expected,” explained Easton. “I had never really had a talk with a real adult before, and here was this guy, trying to have conversations with me. I think that was one of the things that changed me the most…we were able to talk to each other. That meant a lot to me.”

Tony agreed, remembering their first meeting. He noted how, as Easton  grew older and the more time they spent together, the  more outgoing and open his Little Brother became.

Over the course of their match, both Tony and Easton enjoyed a variety of different activities, including hiking and exercising, playing video games and cooking. They both laughed remembering how Tony helped Easton overcome his fear of dogs when he took Easton with him to go buy a puppy. The dog spent the whole ride back to Tony’s house sitting in Easton’s lap.

“There are so many things that he has done for me,” said Easton. “They’re simple things, but they add up. He’s exposed me to new kinds of music; he’s shown me awesome books. My lifestyle has changed, because, Tony’s got it down! I try to follow in his footsteps a little bit.”

For Big Brother Tony, he simply appreciates being able to help his Little Brother navigate his way to adulthood.

“Whatever Easton’s facing, I’m there to talk to him.”

Little Brother Blayke comes home every Thursday with stories of his afternoon with Big Brother Wyatt. The smile on his face when he talks about his Big Brother shows just how much of a positive impact this friendship has already had on Blayke’s life. The two have been matched since 2012 as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii program.

At the start, Little Brother Blayke and Big Brother Wyatt met weekly for afterschool mentoring sessions. After Wyatt graduated this past spring, the two decided to continue their match through Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii’s community-based mentoring program, as a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kauai.

Wyatt and Blayke share a passion for sports. According to Blayke, this is his favorite thing about his Big Brother. Wyatt demonstrates his support for Blayke by attending his baseball games. He even taught Blayke how to kick a football!

As testimony to his dedication and support for Blayke, during the final game of the 2013 season, many parents were surprised to see Wyatt and asked him, “Why are you here?” Without hesitation, Wyatt replied, “I came to watch my brother.”

As Wyatt sat on the bleachers, cheering on his Little Brother, he gave Blayke a thumbs up and “Good job, buddy!” for all to hear. According to Blayke’s mother, this was one of the most memorable days of his life – playing baseball, having his Big Brother in the stands, cheering for him.

“The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kauai program has not only given my son a humble and respectful mentor and companion, but also a GREAT FRIEND FOREVER!” said Blayke’s mother. “Wyatt will hold a special place in not only mine and Blayke’s heart, but my family’s heart as well.”

Wyatt was previously honored as the Kauai Big Brother of the Year and his commitment to Blayke shows why he deserved this recognition. There are boys like Blayke all across the country who do not have someone to toss the ball with, or to come to their games; boys who need a male role model to look up to. Many have waited months, or even years, for their Big Brother to come along. Many will continue to wait. Through the support of volunteers and donors, we can work to shrink the time they are left waiting. Help to make a difference in the life of a child.

People who live in the Wichita, Kansas area probably recognize Mark Davidson, if not by name, then by sight. Since 2005, he has worked in a number of capacities for Wichita-based NBC affiliate KSN-TV. He currently works as a co-anchor for the morning news show, Kansas Today. Now, he can add another title to his name: Kansas’ Big Brother of the Year.

Since 2009, Mark has been matched with his Little Brother, Jamial. Mark credits much of his success as a Big Brother to the personal mentors he had growing up: his parents, his grandmother and a youth basketball coach.

“I wouldn’t be who I am or where I am without them,” he says.

Jamial, now 14 years old, is raised in a single-parent household by his mother, Kristin. She appreciates the impact that having a strong and constant male role model in his life brings to Jamial, noting that “I think he showed my son that actions of people and good qualities can still make you a good person in life.”

For Mark and Jamial’s first outing together, the two played basketball and discussed the important things, like their favorite sports teams, favorite ice-cream flavors and what video games they each enjoyed. Mark knew right then and there that their match would be something special.

Jamial has enjoyed learning from Mark and experiencing new things with him. Together, they have played video games, gone out to eat, shot hoops at the local YMCA and gone to events to help represent Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sedgwick County, hoping to encourage others in the community to become more involved.

“I’ve been to places I’ve never been, I’ve met people I’d never have met without Mark,” Jamial said. “Mark has always been there for me, even after my dad left me…Mark was still there. I have learned a lot from Mark, like how to be a man, take care of a family, how to work hard to earn things and not just expect for someone to give you something.”

Beyond his volunteering as a Big Brother, Mark uses his position at KSN to help promote awareness of Big Brothers Big Sisters, running a regular segment called “Give a Little.”

Ultimately, Mark recognizes the importance of the impact that mentoring can have on children.

“I’m humbled and flattered to be associated with those determined to make a difference in the lives of young people,” he said. “To know one life has breathed easier… if some years down the road, Jamial can reflect on our time together with that perspective, then we’ll celebrate together our small piece in the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters.”