Tyrah (Little) and Adele (Big) received the BOA Match of the Year award at BBBSC’s Big Little Gala: Imagine Possibilities. The two have been matched since April 2016 in the Community-based program. Adele recalls that the first time they met, she went to Tyrah’s house, and she was so shy and quiet. She kind of whispered responses and looked down at the floor most of the time. But at that moment they participated in an activity about the types of things they’d like to do together and quickly realized that they have a lot in common. From there, their relationship has grown steadily until the point that they have become close friends.
Adele says, “From that first meeting to today, I’ve watched Tyrah blossom from a shy young girl to a confident and insightful young woman. Tyrah has gotten into politics, which we discuss regularly, and she has two school-related jobs, in which she earns some spending money. She is thoughtful and always asks the most interesting questions that challenge me and make me think.
And finally, Tyrah is a true artist. Her skills range from an incredible singing voice to writing and producing her own music. She’s taught herself piano and guitar and I just recently found out she’s a natural fine artist. She designed a lithograph that is the work of a great in the making.”
Tyrah and Adele enjoy participating in many activities together. They have attended festivals and museums, gone hiking, swimming and thrift store shopping together, tried different cuisines, cooked together, done art and craft projects together, and have had deep conversations about life and society.
Adele shares that, “Tyrah is an exceptional person because of her grit, her patience, and her ability to live her life honestly in the face of adversity. She faces racism regularly and yet acts with resilience and pride in herself. Over time, her opinions and thoughts on race have developed along with her lived experiences. She questions what is happening in our society and draws conclusions from what she sees, reads, and discusses. I am lucky enough to be a part of her path of self-exploration as a mentor and friend.”
This past year, Tyrah and Adele were interviewed for an article about BBBSC for the Denverite online newspaper. They also attended BBBSC’s Block Party recruitment event for Bigs this past summer, where Tyrah sang a solo. Later this year, Tyrah was a paid soloist for the Denver Women’s Chorus. She sang the last song, Beyonce’s Who Runs the World (Girls), and the audience loved it!
Tyrah is now 17 years old and a senior in high school. She is excelling at choir and is now part of three unique honors choirs. She is also really enjoying her AP Psychology class, which she finds incredibly interesting. Adele worked with Tyrah these past few months to research college options, including academic requirements and scholarship opportunities. Recently, Tyrah received a college acceptance letter to CSU! CSU was her first choice, and she and Adele are thrilled about it. She is very excited to start decorating her college dorm and get to know her new roommate. Tyrah will be the first person in her immediate family to go to college.
“As this year closes, I want to say thank you sincerely for being a part of this program as a donor,” Adele says to supporters. “You aren’t just changing my life and the life of my Little, but you are making the entire world a better place. Your gift enables the power of one-to-one mentoring to encourage and inspire youth to reach their full potential. For myself, watching Tyrah grow and blossom into a young woman is heartwarming. I often find myself recounting conversations Tyrah and I have had during our outings. It amazes me that a young woman at 17 can help me reflect on my place in the world, my actions, and the impact I make on others all from spending an afternoon painting ceramics.”