Little Sister Jamie & Big Sister Jaleesa: 2025 Match of the Year
In July of 2019, Little Sister Jaime and Big Sister Jaleesa were matched. As a mentor, Jaleesa was excited about the opportunity to be there for someone else – something she says she could have used when she was younger. Little Sister Jamie was excited about getting to know someone new who would get her out of the house.
Jaime and Jaleesa were believed to make a strong match because they both love art activities and the opportunity to be creative. Additionally, they share some common life experiences, such as their home dynamics growing up, that would allow them to relate. All in all, it was believed Jaleesa would be someone who could offer Jaime positive support and serve as a role model in the areas of resiliency and education.
Since being matched nearly 6 years ago, they’ve built a strong friendship through countless activities and outings. Whether they’re exploring caves in Southern Indiana and zip-lining through adventure courses or visiting local art fairs and trying new foods, Jaime and Jaleesa always make the most out of their time together.
More recently, the match dedicated countless hours to studying for Jaime’s SAT exam. Through this process, Big Sister Jaleesa was a huge source of support for Jaime – giving her useful tools, advice, words of encouragement, and sharing her own personal experiences with schooling and exams. Their hard work paid off, as Jaime proudly improved her score in the area the match had been focusing on – reading and writing.
Jaime is incredibly grateful for the support she has found in Jaleesa, not only finding a friend but someone who understands the path she is on and is there to help her through it.
“I feel like Jaleesa is my number one supporter when it comes to school. I feel like I can go to her when it comes to anything school-related because she has been through it, and it wasn’t that long ago.”
