Thursday, March 26, 2015

March Match Spotlight: Katie and Kirsten

Katie and Kirsten recently reached their two year anniversary of being matched in the School Based Program and have a strong friendship to show for it.  When Kirsten enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters she had previously served as a mentor in High School and really enjoyed her experience. Kirsten saw the positive impact she was able to make and wanted to do it again.

Katie is currently in second grade and attends Orchard Hill Elementary.  Katie is an only child and before being matched was struggling to have positive interactions with her peers at school.  When Katie was asked during her initial interview what she would like to learn from having a Big Sister, she responded that she would like to learn how to be a friend.  Kirsten, being an only child herself turned out to be the perfect fit.

Two years later the friendship between Katie and Kirsten is undeniable.  Kirsten visits with Katie at school consistently every week.  During their visits Katie and Kirsten spend time reading, coloring, talking and working on Katie’s school work.  Katie is also an English Language Learning student and having conversations with Kirsten has created a great opportunity for her to practice during their visits.  Katie has also tried teaching Kirsten words in her native language of Vietnamese, which has been a fun and educational experience for the match.

Recently Katie was asked how she feels when she is with Kirsten.  Katie responded that she feels excited, happy and glad whenever she is with Kirsten.  Katie gets sad when Kirsten leaves and she wishes they could spend more time together.  Although, Katie and Kirsten don’t visit each other over the summer months, they always do a fantastic job at keeping in contact.  Whether its writing letters or e-mailing back and forth, the match makes sure their friendship is as strong as ever for the start of the school year.  This match has been a great example of growth, commitment and friendship.
We are excited to see what’s in the future for this match!

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