One of the first things Nayla wanted to do with her new Big Sister Nancy was to go to a library. Nancy, a retired Spanish and English Language Learner teacher for Burke County, knows that nurturing English-proficient children also helps their parents, who might not know the language as well.
That first day at the library, Nayla checked out three books. Now they regularly go to a local bookstore where they read quietly together. That’s what being a mentor is about. It’s also why we celebrate Bigs like Nancy during National Mentoring Month in January.
The two have been together two and a half years, and now Nayla is not only in middle school (and as tall as Nancy), but her Big has also watched her blossom into, as Nancy puts it, “a lovely young lady.”
“I’ve observed more self-confidence and willingness to try new things,” Nancy says. “I am so very proud of her and her progress and know we will continue to be an important part of each other’s lives.”
Becoming a Big has been “one of the most rewarding relationships I have experienced,” Nancy says. “BBBS offers the opportunity for enriching lives for both the Littles and the Bigs.”
