I’ve supported the BBBS mission for 12 years and have had the unique experience of seeing the impact of mentoring through many lenses and even across a few states. I started my BBBS journey in Iowa and it now continues in Colorado. I’m humbled to have been a Big Sister, program & development staff person, and donor. I’m passionate about BBBS because I see the impact every day. And every day, as an agency, BBBS is focused on impact, evaluation and growth. We are committed to ensuring the work we do is making an impact, and mountains of research proves that we are making a difference in youth development, education, and community development. And still… our impact goes beyond research and beyond numbers. Sometimes our impact simply cannot be measured. Sometimes our impact is difficult to see especially in the moment and we don’t know the impact until years later. I feel for our Bigs who sometimes question “am I making a difference?” because I’ve been there as a Big Sister too. I’m lucky to have remained connected to my amazing “not so Littles” Khadijah and Mateo as they’ve grown into successful adults. It’s been over 10 years since we were matched. We remain close and I cherish the major milestones we still celebrate together like their graduation from high school (very proud moments for me for sure!), and the birth of my son. But like other Bigs who’ve questioned their role of “am I making a difference?”, it was a special day when Khadijah shared her college essay “My Colorful Box” where she talked about our match. It warmed my heart, and I hope will warm yours too. To my fellow Big’s… thank you for what you do every day to support your Littles. We will never know when our time together will turn into life changing memories for our Littles and for us Bigs. I know my Little’s have changed my life, and I’m humbled to have helped them grow along the way. – Ashly Ligouri
“My Colorful Box” – A 2018 College Essay from My “Not So” Little Khadijah
When I was younger, my mother put me into a program for children by the name of Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program helped children by giving them a mentor to have lunch or do an out of school activity with every now and then. My big sisters name was Ashly. We started out as lunch buddies when I was in the 6th grade. She would come to the school once a month and have lunch with me to help with homework or any other school related issues. Eventually, we graduated and were able to do outside things once a month or more if we wanted. We would do things such as go to dinner, go watch movies at her house, go to hockey games and many other things. We really liked to do arts and crafts. We created different things, especially for holidays. We would do scrapbooking or make ornaments or cookies. She really was an amazing person too me. Around my junior year of high school, Ashly decided that her and her boyfriend of many years were going to move to Colorado to start over and begin a new life. I was devastated. Ashly was a great part of my life. She always helped me with anything I needed and, she was fun, the perfect outlet too get away for a while. Unfortunately, she had to do grown up things and it had to come to a halt (never could be the end). Before she left, she gave me a going away present. That is just how amazing she is, she is moving away, yet I am the one who got the present. The present was a beautiful box that read “ALWAYS DREAM BIG, FOLLOW YOUR BLISS, CELEBRATE LIFE, BELIEVE IN MAGIC” on the top and on the inside, she had written “Khadijah, just a little something so you will always remember me!! I hope you know how much fun I’ve had over these past five years. We’ve had a ton of laughs and so many memories. It’s been a joy watching you grow from a shy 6th grader to a confident, beautiful young lady. I look forward too many more memories, especially High School Graduation just next year!! Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything or just want to chat. Best wishes, Ashly.” This box has always meant so much to me and I believe it was a great symbol of all the arts and crafts that we used to do (even though she didn’t paint this one lol). To this day, I still use this box to hold a lot of my important things such as my birth certificate, bills and reminders. But for the most part it’s all cards that she has sent too me over the years. There was never a holiday that I didn’t receive a card in the mail or if she was traveling she would send me a postcard from where she was. Also enclosed are some pictures me and her took along the way. She still comes back in town every now and then and I get to spend time with her. She came back for my high school graduation and that let me know that she is going to be in my life forever. I’m pretty sure when it’s time for college graduation she will be there as well and that’s why I am happy to call her my big sister, mentor and friend. – Khadijah