Amirah was matched with her “Little” Vivian in January of 2020 in the site based mentoring
program. When they were first matched, Vivian was in the 4th grade, and Amirah was a junior at
HPU. Now, Vivian is in the 6 th grade, and Amirah is a senior student at HPU.
Vivian was referred by her parents because they needed her to have a role model who went to
college. Her parents believed that having a Big Sister could help her improve her social skills
and have a positive impact in her life.
Amirah had a great attitude from the very beginning, she was talkative, friendly and this allowed
Vivian to connect with her right away.
Some of the activities Vivian and her Big Amirah have done together in school prior to COVID
were making friendship bracelets, playing board games such as Sorry, Headbands, Memory,
Connect 4, and playing outside. During COVID they stayed in touch via FaceTime and phone
calls. Amirah would call Vivian on a consistent basis for over a year. Then this Fall semester
they had the opportunity to join Big Brothers Big Sisters’ new after school programs that allowed
them to see each other in person again. They have played at a local park, played board games,
gone Christmas shopping, gone out to eat dinner, and played with other Littles and Bigs in the
program.
Amirah has always demonstrated accountability, a great attitude, and initiative. Thanks to
Amirah, Vivian is more interested in the arts, she enrolled in a middle school that focuses in art.
Vivian has also improved her confidence and her social skills. Vivian said that every time she
sees her Big Amirah, she feels happy and excited, and has so much fun. She always looks
forward to seeing her. Vivian’s parents said that they are thankful that Vivian has Amirah as her
Big Sister. They mentioned they have seen great positive changes in Vivian. They said this
friendship has helped her improve her confidence, and increase her passion for the arts. They
said it has been great for Vivian to socialize with someone that goes to college. Vivian’s parents
said otherwise she would just be playing video games or watching TV.
Amirah said that she I loves how easygoing it has been from the time that they met. Amirah said
she has enjoyed watching her grow and mature through her transition from elementary school to
middle school. “We have been able to grow our relationship the past few years despite going
virtual.” Amirah has been a great support. She was able to help Vivian acclimate to remote
learning and provided emotional support. She also encouraged her to pursue her passion for
the arts.
Amirah shared that Vivian's vibrant and fun-loving spirit is always a joy to be around. Going to
visit Vivian has also impacted her life in a positive way because it has been the highlight of her
weeks, and it has inspired her to stay uplifted and always maintain a positive attitude.