One of the best and most observant qualities of this match is their chemistry. To see these two ladies interact you wouldn’t know they weren’t real sisters. Big Sister Madison and Little Maya have been matched now for over two years as a school-based match. Madison is an amazing Big Sister, she will get on the floor, be silly and play games with Maya yet also is nurturing and a source of comfort when Maya needs to talk or is having a bad day. But as Madison notes her visits didn’t start out like this, “Maya was very shy, withdrawn and wasn’t able to hold a conversation with me, it seemed she was like this with everyone back then but all that’s changed! Now she runs up to me with a big hug every time I visit and we play games and share stories about our lives. She’s gone from having maybe 1 or 2 friends to being friends with everyone in her class, she’s much more open to talk to children she doesn’t know also.” Slowly with time Maya opened up to things she liked to do and one hobby that appeared to be dormant that Madison helped bring out is her creative imagination. Madison says “Maya has become quite the little artist! It started with Maya and I just drawing and coloring, but now she loves to express herself creatively by making fashion outfits online, painting, making bracelets or any craft she can image!” Even at home Maya’s mom says she loves doing the same activities now. Not only is Maya able to express herself creatively but now she can express how she’s feeling. She’s able to say no when she doesn’t want to do something and can make decisions instead of just agreeing to avoid making choices. She’s grown and matured in so many ways since being matched. Maya does have a brother who is very close in age so when asked Maya says “It’s nice to have a Big Sister because I have someone I can talk to about girl stuff and Madison just gets me!” Madison has been such a committed Big Sister, not just going to the required visits to see Maya at school but also attending each planned “field trip” we take the children on to High Point University to engage in fun activities with their Bigs after school. Madison says “I love spending time with Maya, she really makes my day so when I can see her twice in one week at her school then at mine I never pass it up!” Maya shared with me she didn’t know what college really was or more so why it was important to go before she met Madison. Maya said “I figured you went to learn and to get a job but that’s it.” Maya says after talking to Madison about what she wants to be when she grows up and visiting High Point University she “gets it now”. Madison also shared Maya’s desire to discuss college and is always asking questions, such as what it’s like and her wishes to go to college at HPU. Maya says she’s not 100% positive what she wants as a job but she knows she needs to do really good in school, learn all she can, focus more attention on her grades and be sure to graduate high school to be able to go to college. Maya said “I want to be just like my Big Sister when I grow up, she’s really smart and goes to High Point University and that’s where I really want to go too”. Madison and Maya’s relationship is the type Big Brothers Big Sisters want all our matches to have. One where the chemistry is organically created and enhances the lives of two people!