​Ending are so sad….but bring new and exciting beginnings!  This is the time of year that we graduate Littles from our program that have either graduated high school or turned 18.  As a staff member of BBBS of Washtenaw County since 2002, I’ve watched many of these young people grow up.  And it saddens me to see them and their Bigs leave us.  But I’m excited for what’s next for them.
 
KeShon and Yasmine – These ladies were our Match of the Month in June 2018.  Jasmine says “some of her most memorable moments have been all the times I’ve been able to celebrate KeShon with her family! From her 8th grade graduation, going to some of her track/cross country meets, watching her perform on the dance team in high school, being at her sweet seventeen birthday party to most recently sending her off to her high school prom!  What I love about our match is first how long we have been able to grow our relationship and I’ve been able to see KeShon blossom from a quiet pre-teen to a young adult about to start college! I love that we can always be ourselves with each other, and that KeShon keeps me hip with all the newest lingo and dances. I’ve also loved not only getting to know KeShon, but her whole family and feeling so welcomed”!
 
Jovani and Aiden –  These guys were matched together 7 years ago.  It’s been amazing to watch their friendship grow.  Jovani moved further away, Aiden kept going to pick him up regularly.  Jovani struggled with reading, and they started their own little book club.  Jovani wanted to visit college campuses, Aiden took him.  They’re family, and always will be.  Jovani and Aiden will be traveling to the UK and Spain together this summer to visit the Aiden’s family. After, Jovani will be moving up to Mount Pleasant, MI to attend Central Michigan University. 
 
Thomas and Dominic – Thomas and Dominic have been matched for over 3 years.  Dominic has provided support to Thomas as he neared the end of his high school career, talking about college and playing football.  As a college student himself, he’s learned to balance school and volunteering at BBBS, and all of the other things, so has great insights to share with Thomas.  Thomas is working and figuring out the next step in his journey. 
 
Xavier and Ravi – Ravi has been there for Xavier for the last 5 years.  Xavier has moved around a bit over that time, and Ravi’s always been there, willing to drive to see him, even when he’s lived an hour away.  Ravi and Xavier have set goals around getting a job and finishing high school, and will continue to work toward those, even though not officially a part of BBBS. 
 
Beth and Helen – Beth and Helen's match was a great one that consisted of dancing to music playing over the speakers of Target, trying on funny clothes, and doing arts & crafts. Although Helen has moved away for medical school, the match plans on keeping in communication to see how things are going. Best of luck in the future!!
 
Japeth and Bryan – In Bryan’s words….Next month Japeth turns 18 and therefore ages out of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. We will, no doubt, remain brothers and keep hanging out. We were matched as brothers when he was almost 12 years old in 2012. Today we attended our last annual BBBS picnic together and went out for ice cream with two other matches. (Today is, after all, National Ice Cream Day.)
Here are a couple photos to show how much he has grown, but he has grown in so many ways that you can’t see in the pictures. He is wiser, more grounded, more independent, more focused, and more driven. And he has retained all of his wonderful qualities - charming, personable, outgoing, insightful, artistic, athletic, musical, and absolutely hilarious. He has inspired me in many ways and I’m so proud of how he handles himself and expresses himself. I’m so grateful to know Japeth and be a part of his life.
 
Matthew and Kevin – It is a joy to see how much Kevin and Matt’s relationship has grown since those early days. Over the years, Kevin has worked with Matt to prepare for several important milestones: teaching him to drive, helping him to apply for jobs, and helping him think about his career goals. Because Matt hopes to be a mechanic one day, Kevin often plans activities for them involving cars. Kevin took Matt to the Henry Ford Museum, a car show at Washtenaw Community College, and a trip to talk to a mechanic about his work. They guys are forever friends!
 
 
 

KeShon and Yasmine have been matched for 6 years.  KeShon’s mother enrolled her when she was 12 because she wanted her to have more diverse experiences. She wanted a Big who could support her with being active, having a healthy lifestyle, education, and career choices.  They have been able to focus on all those things, plus more, in their years of being matched. 

Yasmine signed up to be a Big Sisters after moving here to work on her PhD. Her older sister, her role model, had recently become a Big, and Yasmine was inspired by her commitment.  She wanted to do something to give back to the community, but also thought it would be a great way to learn about the community.

When KeShon and Yasmine were first matched, some of their favorite activities would be to do different arts and crafts. They would come up with ideas together or find them on Pinterest.  They also enjoyed baking cookies and other sweets to share with each other, get frozen yogurt, volunteer, walk outside, play volleyball, or walk around the mall together. As KeShon has gotten older, getting frozen yogurt is always a go-to favorite activity and just chatting and spending time together, maybe over a movie at Yasmine’s house, or both catching up on work and homework while in Yasmine’s lab.
KeShon was a little quieter and shy when they were first matched, but that has definitely changed! As their relationship has grown, so has KeShon’s confidence.  These days as KeShon works and Yasmine is finishing up graduate school, scheduling can be difficult, but they try to keep in touch via text in between visits.

Yasmine says some of her most memorable moments have been "all the times I’ve been able to celebrate KeShon with her family! From her 8th grade graduation, going to some of her track/cross country meets, watching her perform on the dance team in high school, being at her sweet seventeen birthday party to most recently sending her off to her high school prom!

What I love about our match is first how long we have been able to grow our relationship and I’ve been able to see KeShon blossom from a quiet pre-teen to a young adult about to start college! I love that we can always be ourselves with each other, and that KeShon keeps me hip with all the newest lingo and dances. I’ve also loved not only getting to know KeShon, but her whole family and feeling so welcomed!"

We want to congratulate KeShon on her recent high school graduation.  Unfortunately, their match will close through BBBS, but we know that they will always be connected to one another and I’m sure their relationship will continue to grow and flourish!

Jaiden is a kind and intelligent 9-year-old boy, who lives with his mom, grandma, and three sisters. In between his occasional visits with his father, he lacked a strong male role model that he could relate to, and Carl stepped in to provide that male perspective he needed. Carl had just moved to Washtenaw County to attend dentistry school, and he was eager to give back to the community. He signed up to become a Big Brother after seeing an ad for our local agency and talking to his sister, who had also recently signed up to be a Big.

Jaiden and Carl have been matched for over a year, and it is amazing to see how far their relationship has come. Because they are both very active, they have been on countless adventures together such as canoeing, paddle boating, going to the Hands On Museum, and going to Detroit Pistons games -- all of which were new experiences for Jaiden! We love seeing Jaiden and Carl interact at group events because they are clearly so comfortable together! At our kickball day, they had so much energy from playing kickball that they took a long walk afterwards around the park, just talking and enjoying each other’s company. The two have lot in common: they both love chicken, laser tag, and dancing.  However, Carl says that his favorite thing to do with Jaiden is just to hang out with him and chat about his life. He loves listening to Jaiden share his interests and ambitions.

Spending time with Carl has given Jaiden the opportunity to hone his strengths and develop his own sense of self -- something that Carl says he really wishes for Jaiden to have. Jaiden is talented at math, and he loves showing this off to his proud Big Brother. He says that he aspires to become a teacher one day. Carl also takes time to have important conversations with Jaiden while they’re on outings. He talks to Jaiden about the importance of online safety, manners while going out to eat, and, recently, the important contributions that MLK, Jr. had on our world.

At BBBS, we use the acronym REACH (Recreation, Education and career, Arts and culture, Community service, and Health and wellness) to guide our matches to be well-rounded in how they spend their outings. Jaiden and Carl are the epitome of the REACH mindset. They are looking forward to another fun year of learning, growing, and giving back together.

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Jaliah is an active, talented 16-year-old, who we have had the pleasure of knowing since she first enrolled in our program with a different mentor at 8 years old. As the youngest of 7 kids, Jaliah loves having a mentor all to herself. Being able to go on an outing without her siblings is a rare opportunity and one that BBBS can provide. We matched Jaliah and Julia about a year ago just after Julia moved to Ann Arbor to complete a postdoc at the University of Michigan. As Julia was applying to become a Big, she told us that it was something she always wanted to do but that she needed to wait until the right time. Because our program requires a one year commitment, she could not sign up until she knew she would be living in one place for over a year. Therefore, when Jaliah and Julia were matched, there was clear excitement on both ends. As it turned out, each was just the right match that the other had been waiting for!
 
Watching Jaliah and Julia interact now, it is clear that they really trust each other, but it took some time for this level of comfort to build. Julia, like many of our volunteers, is an introvert, and Julia explained that their first few outings felt “awkward” at times. However, as we tell all our volunteers, this awkwardness is completely normal and to be expected. Like all relationships, it takes time and consistency to make the match work. Almost a year later, Jaliah and Julia’s relationship is thriving. Jaliah has been able to open up to Julia about her thoughts and concerns about racial tensions in our community. Because these topics are also sensitive and personal, Jaliah’s willingness to raise them demonstrates her trust in Julia, who is always ready to listen and learn about what her Little is going through.
 
When they are together, Jaliah and Julia enjoy eating sushi, being active outside, or watching movies. Furthermore, Julia is a rock climber and introduced Jaliah to the sport. Rock climbing has been an amazing way for the match to bond. When they are climbing, Jaliah and Julia take turns belaying and encouraging one another to accomplish their individual goals. While climbing can be scary and certainly physically demanding, Jaliah responds to the challenge with a sense of confidence and adventure. And because they are used to talking about their goals while climbing, Jaliah is also able to talk to Julia about her other goals for her education and career.
 
 Jaliah has also shared her interests with Julia: namely, her love of writing poetry. Jaliah is a talented emerging writer. Recently, she won a poetry contest and was accepted to present her work in Washington, DC! Congratulations to Jaliah from all of us at Big Brothers Big Sisters, and congratulations to both Julia and Jaliah on being named this month’s match of the month!

​Big Sister Anna and Little Sister Anaya have been matched since last summer, and the match has developed wonderfully since then. Anaya is a kind, intelligent 15-year-old with a natural curiosity and great sense of adventure. She says she wants to be a cosmetologist, which seems like a great fit given her compassionate, bubbly personality! She and her siblings also share their home with two of her cousins, making it a tight fit and leaving few opportunities for one-on-one time for the kids. Therefore, her mom signed her up with our program with the hope that time outside the house with a mentor would help Anaya develop her own passions and goals.
 
Meanwhile, Anna had recently moved to Ann Arbor and wanted to connect to a young person while learning about the community. While she is working full time, she felt that it was important to her to find time to give back. Given Anna and Anaya’s shared interests, including their shared love of cats, they seemed like the perfect fit.
 
Anna and Anaya have had a ton of fun together, going out to eat, going to the mall, and getting their nails done, as well as just hanging out at Anna’s house and talking. When they went roller skating together, Anna said she was thrilled to see Anaya come out of her shell. “It was nice to see her open up and just have fun as a kid!” she said.
 
From the beginning, Anna was very intentional in trying to give Anaya the best opportunities. Anaya struggles sometimes with peer relationships. She says she has a lot of friends but lacks someone who feels truly close to her. Also, while she does an amazing job maintaining her good grades, she sometimes finds the social dynamics of school overwhelming. However, Anna is always there for Anaya to talk about what she is experiencing and keep her on the right track towards her goals. The pair gets together frequently and stays connected in between outings via texting.
 
Already, Anna has made a positive impact in Anaya’s life. Anaya really seems to have opened up to Anna, sharing her thoughts, feelings, and struggles. Anna mentioned during one of her regular check-ins with our staff that she does not always feel like she has all the answers for Anaya. She said she was concerned that she could be doing better to support her. This concern is very common amongst our volunteers, and as with others who have expressed similar things, we know that it comes from a place of love. We reminded Anna that, as a Big in our program, it is ok to not always know what to say. Being a mentor isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about being there, listening, and sharing in their journey to help them find the answers. Anna, like all mentors, may not be perfect, but she shows up for Anaya and takes an active interest in her success. It’s like people say, “Kids don’t care what you think until they think that you care,” and watching Anna and Anaya, it is clear that they really care about each other.
 

Kevin has been matched with his Little Brother Matthew since 2014. When Kevin and Matt were first getting to know each other, Matthew’s mom Natalie could tell very quickly that they had a lot in common. They both enjoyed being active outdoors, playing video games, and talking about cars. They also bonded over their shared religious values. However, none of us could have predicted just how much the match would come to impact the lives of all those involved.
When Kevin and Matt were first matched, Matt was struggling to make friends his own age due to shyness and a lack of self-confidence. Because Matt is mildly autistic, he found social settings to be a challenge, and he was struggling with reading comprehension in school. Furthermore, Matt was living with his mother and three siblings (with a newborn soon to come), so he couldn’t always get the one-on-one time every introvert needs to come out of their shell. With high school and the emerging needs of college preparation and job searching on the horizon, it was clear that Matt could benefit from a committed, passionate mentor like Kevin. At first, Kevin said he found it difficult to engage Matt in conversion; Matt would respond to Kevin in short sentences without making eye contact. However, Kevin was patient and bonded with Matt over their shared interests.

It is a joy to see how much Kevin and Matt’s relationship has grown since those early days. Over the years, Kevin has worked with Matt to prepare for several important milestones: teaching him to drive, helping him to apply for jobs, and helping him think about his career goals. Because Matt hopes to be a mechanic one day, Kevin often plans activities for them involving cars. Kevin took Matt to the Henry Ford Museum, a car show at Washtenaw Community College, and a trip to talk to a mechanic about his work. To work on reading comprehension, Kevin takes Matt to the library to check out books about car mechanics. Kevin also takes an interest in Matt’s spiritual life, something that is very important to them both. The two often get together to read and study the Bible, often while cooking delicious food, and they regularly volunteer together through Kevin’s church. Kevin also makes sure that Matt has the opportunity to just have fun and be a kid. They often play video games, sports, and Pokemon Go together. Matt particularly enjoys having nerf gun battles with Kevin. He even used part of his birthday money to buy Kevin a nerf gun as a gift. “It just goes to show you how kind and generous he is,” Kevin said, but we believe the gift is also a testament to Kevin’s amazing work as a mentor.

However, the time Kevin and Matt have spent together has not always been easy. The birth of Matt’s new sister meant that Matt had to face some transition at home. Then, his older brother needed to be hospitalized. Through all of this, Kevin has remained a consistent, positive energy in Matt’s life, and Matt has continued to grow and thrive. Since working with Kevin, Matt’s reading comprehension has greatly improved. However, according the Kevin and Natalie, the most significant improvement has been Matt’s social confidence. Kevin was excited to watch Matt hold conversations with some of his friends when he introduced Matt to them at a gathering. Matt even made some lasting friends of his own at summer camp.

In addition to being a strong, positive role model for Matt, Kevin is an active advocate for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the community. Every time we hold a “Big for a Day” activity, Kevin regularly invites friends to come match up for the day with kids who are on our wait list. He also did an amazing job serving as a Team Captain at our first Man 2 Man Recruitment event, bringing eight of his friends to learn about becoming a Big Brother. We are also grateful to Kevin for recruiting one of his friends to serve as our volunteer event photographer. Thanks to Kevin and his friend, we have beautiful, high quality photos of our Bigs and Littles that we can use to continue to promote our mission to serve the kids and families of Washtenaw County.

​We congratulate Kevin on being our 2018 Big Brother of the Year!
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Nancy has been matched with her Little Brother, Kyieyan since June 2016. At the time, Kyieyan had recently lost his father and was struggling to adjust to changes at home and at school. While he was a naturally energetic, sociable kid, he needed the extra support and stability of a one-on-one mentor to help him through such a difficult time. Furthermore, with younger siblings at home and a single mother, Kyieyan had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders at a young age. He had to grow up quickly, and he was struggling to stay on track academically. A few months into the match, Kyieyan was the victim of a violent incident at his school, leading to him missing several days of school. Through all of this, Nancy was available to help keep Kyieyan on track. Kyieyan demonstrated astounding perseverance, working hard to catch up with his school work and maintain his position on the football team.
Despite all the adversity Kyieyan has experienced, it is always clear that he feels safe, comfortable with Nancy – a testament to her warm, positive energy. Nancy says that it is important to her to allow Kyieyan to just be a kid. The two often enjoy time outdoors, attending sporting events, and watching movies. Nancy also takes Kyieyan to the library to read and attend educational events. Witnesses to Nancy and Kyieyan’s interactions can easily see how much Kyieyan enjoys Nancy’s company and respects her as a person. For example, at our annual picnic, we were excited to see Kyieyan trying to show off to Nancy, calling for her attention before running around and doing a cool trick. Nancy and Kyieyan have open, flowing conversations, and Kyieyan takes an active role in asking Nancy questions.
While Nancy and Kyieyan have a lot in common, Nancy does a wonderful job of supporting and taking an active interest in the things that excite Kyieyan. Kyieyan is a gifted budding athlete, so Nancy often takes him to sporting events at the University of Michigan. When Kyieyan was joining the football team for the first time, he needed a sports physical and new gear. Nancy talked to Kyieyan to make sure that he was organized and had everything he needed to participate. When Nancy found out about the Youth Impact Program, a summer camp where students practice football with NCAA and NFL coaches and learn academically using football terminology, she helped to get Kyieyan enrolled and even helped transport him to and from the camp. During the program, Kyieyan was able to interact with so many positive male role models, including Jim Harbaugh! We have no doubt that the experience of being part of that camp will have a lasting positive impact on Kyieyan’s future.
As a former board member of our chapter of BBBS, Nancy has been generously supporting our mission for a long time. While she no longer serves on the board, she still gives us her all. Nancy is constantly advocating for BBBS, sharing our posts on social media and recruiting others to become mentors. Nancy participated in Bowl for Kids’ Sake, our annual fundraiser that raises money for matches, and she often helps us coordinate activities and events with UofM (where she used to work). In addition, Nancy was an amazing Table Captain at Rise and Shine, and she even recruited others to be Table Captains as well!
Congratulations to Nancy, as Big Sister of the Year.