Amplify Austin Has Begun!
Amplify Austin runs from 6 p.m. March 2nd to 6 p.m. March 3rd. We need your help to Amplify our impact for children in our community. Please give now!
We have a goal of raising over $20,000 to provide life-changing mentoring services to even more kids in Central Texas! With more than 600 kids on our waiting list, every gift makes a difference!
Shannon and Mykayla
Shannon has been a Big Sister to Mykayla for over 8 years. The two have enjoyed seeing movies, swimming, eating out, and shopping. But most of all, they have enjoyed simply sharing what’s happening in each other’s lives.
It’s the sharing that’s been key, as Mykayla has been through a lot for someone so young. The only child of a single parent, Mykayla was the primary support to her mother who suffered through cancer, taking her mom to doctor’s appointments and providing day-to-day care. As a result, Mykayla’s grades and academic focus started to suffer, until her Big Sister stepped in to offer assistance and stability.
“Mykayla is an excellent student and has been in Advanced Placement classes. She loves to sing and is in her school’s most accomplished choir. She has many other great attributes, such as her amazing ability to stay focused and calm, as well as her sense of humor,” Shannon said. “When I think back to the shy 10-year-old girl I first met, and the amazing 18-year-old young woman I know today, I can hardly believe she is the same person. I am so proud of who she has become.”
Now that Mykayla is graduating from high school, the conversation has turned to college preparations. “Our relationship has deepened so much over the years,” Shannon continued. “I told her when we were first matched that our time together was a time she could just be a kid and have fun. Now our time is more about me trying to help her decide which college to choose.”
Looking back, Shannon acknowledges that while she became a volunteer in order to give to a child, she is the one who has received a gift. “Being a Big Sister has taught me what it means to give back,” Shannon explained. “I have had the opportunity to be a part of Mykayla’s and her mom’s lives and have developed friendships that will last for the rest of my life.”
