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Big Sister Becca Thomas and her Little Sister, Ty’Lasjah, have been named Florida’s Big and Little Sister of the Year. Submitted photo -
Big Sister Becca Thomas and her Little Sister, Ty’Lasjah, have been named Florida’s Big and Little Sister of the Year. Submitted photo -
Big Sister Becca Thomas and her Little Sister, Ty’Lasjah, have been named Florida’s Big and Little Sister of the Year. Submitted photo
Every year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America chooses two volunteer mentors (called Bigs) and two youth (called Littles) out of nearly 140,000 in the nationwide mentoring program to be crowned Bigs and Littles of the Year. This year a Big and Little match from the Nassau County program has been selected to advance to the next round.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida is pleased to announce Becca Thomas and her Little Sister, Ty’Lasjah, as Florida’s Big and Little Sister of the Year.
Four years ago, Thomas was paired with Ty’Lasjah at a time in Ty’Lasjah’s life when she struggled with opening up to others.
“Becca is honestly a sweet person, and I’m just really glad to have her in my life. And I really appreciate that,” said Ty’Lasjah. “I don’t really know what I would do without her.”
“Ty’Lasjah seems to have really blossomed in her years with Becca,” said Lena Ramsay, area manager for BBBSNEFL. “Her time with Becca has validated her sense of self and, when you meet her now, she is a very happy and delightful young lady who greets you with a huge smile. By the time you are saying goodbye, she is likely offering you a hug.”
“The first day we went to lunch together, she said we need to say the blessing,” said Thomas. “And she said, ‘Thank you, God, for the bestest day ever, and I just pray that I can have more of the bestest days.’ And I thought to myself, this little girl is amazing and she is what I need in my life.”
Thomas embodies what it means “to stay the course” and offered exactly what Ty’Lasjah needed – consistency, a safety net and a trusted confidant.
“The match between Thomas and Ty’Lasjah is special because it is so mutually loving and respectful. The pair is small, but mighty. Tiny in stature and large in personality and spirit. They are both strong and resilient individuals who have learned to face and overcome hardship with perseverance, love and grace. Together, they offer hope to each other and continually remind each other of the goodness in the world,” said Sara Alford, CEO of BBBSNEFL. “And as different as they may seem at first, their matching genuine and gigantic smiles are immediate indicators of the love and generosity they both share with the world.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will award the top honorees at an awards gala during the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference in June.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. BBBSNEFL operates under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. For more than 109 years, BBBSNEFL has impacted children, families and the community by providing mentoring services proven to help kids beat the odds. By placing a caring adult in the life of a child, BBBSNEFL creates safe, high-quality, long-lasting mentoring relationships that inspire local youth to realize their full potential through personal and academic achievement. Professionally supported by staff, individualized road maps for success are developed in concert with parents, Littles and Bigs.
BBBSNEFL knows that mentoring works. In 2021-22, 96% of youth had no behavioral referrals or suspensions, 94% of youth were promoted on time to the next grade and 93% of youth maintained or improved school attendance. One in three kids will grow up without a mentor (mentor.org). For just a few hours a month, local youths are exposed to new beginnings and opportunities. To learn more or become a mentor, visit www.bbbsnefl.org.
