Match Spotlight: Ashley and Lacey

Ashley and Lacey were matched in the School Based program back in September, 2011. Ashley contacted Big Brothers Big Sisters at the beginning of her college career with the aspiration to help a child by being a positive role-model and someone a child could talk to. Before becoming involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ashley utilized her desire to help others by volunteering with the Special Olympics and Cadet teaching for a kindergarten class during her senior year in high school. Ashley is completing her internship this summer at the YMCA before graduating and receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Family Services from the University of Northern Iowa.

Lacey lives with her grandmother and two sisters. Lacey’s grandmother works hard to provide for the family which leaves limited time to spend with Lacey one on one. Lacey expressed to her school teacher that she would like a Big Sister so she would have someone to talk to and spend time with.  In the past three years Lacey has been able to do just that with her Big Sister, Ashley.

Throughout the last three years, Ashley has met with Lacey at her school consistently and the two have enjoyed doing many activities together such as playing cards, word/math games, putting puzzles together and working on Lacey’s school work. Now that Ashley is about to start a new chapter in her life, her schedule will no longer allow her to meet with Lacey in school. Lacey told Ashley that she would still like to continue spending time with her and brought up the idea of switching to the Community Based program. Ashley met Lacey’s idea with great enthusiasm because she too did not want to end the wonderful relationship that they had developed the last few years. Ashley expressed this idea to their Match Coordinator and the request was met with Lacey’s grandmother’s approval as she too has seen how much Lacey has enjoyed spending time with Ashley and how having a mentor has benefited Lacey greatly.  

It would have been easy for Ashley to close their match while taking this next big step in her life as she has already exceeded the requirements and expectations of the program. Instead, Ashley has used this next chapter as a way to open new doors for their match and build on their already solid friendship. It is going to be great watching their relationship grow even stronger as they experience new and exciting things together out in the community!