A Big Sister through YBBBS shares her experience
By Sarah White for Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters
I recently asked one of my co-workers if I could take her 10-year-old daughter shopping. When another co-worker asked why, I explained that I remember what it was like to be young and to look up to older kids and want to hang out with them.
Another co-worker recommended that I look into Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters (YBBBS). Her suggestion reminded me that I was once a Little Sister, too. When I was 11, I joined YBBBS and was matched with a family I’m still close to.
I want to be someone who my Little Sister Jenileigh looks up to and feels comfortable opening up with. I try to give her advice in situations to make the best decisions, but she is a very smart, mature kid and usually knows what the right decision is; I try to support her choices so she can feel more confident in future decisions.
For example, a boy who had a girlfriend was talking to her and she had a crush on him; she made the smart decision all on her own to tell him to not speak to her while he had a girlfriend. I thought she was very mature, especially since she has a crush on him.
I was born in Tucson, but I moved to Prescott Valley as an infant. My parents divorced when I was three years old. Jenileigh also has divorced parents so we can relate to each other. I graduated high school from AAEC. My passions are singing and photography, and I am currently in school to become an aesthetician.
One of the first outings I had with Jenileigh was a picnic; we got Dutch Bros. and I brought a basket full of sandwiches and fruit. I also brought a rock painting kit, and we painted rocks. After the picnic, we went to the farmers market, and I let her pick out a necklace.
Since then, we’ve gone swimming at the pool, visited a bouncy water park at Lake Pleasant, had facials, gone to a Meghan Trainor concert, and I did a photoshoot of her at one of the lakes in town. Our latest outing was a movie night at her house. I let her pick out the movie and I got us some snacks to eat during the movie.
We have some fun outings planned together, including the trampoline park, TopGolf in Phoenix and ice skating.
YBBBS Program Manager Naresa Cassady shared this about our match: “I love hearing, sharing and seeing pictures of Jenileigh and Sarah’s adventures. They have so much fun learning, laughing, and growing together. They are the perfect pair.”
For information on Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters’ youth mentoring mission, visit azbigs.org or call the Prescott office at 928.778.5135.
The Arizona Charitable Tax Credit is another way for you to help ensure YBBBS can continue its vitally important mission, with no additional cost to you. The new amounts you can give and get back as a dollar-for-dollar credit on your state tax are $470 filing single and $938 filing as a couple.
Photos: Courtesy/YBBBS