Planning for Success

Like many of the children waiting to be matched with a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor, fourteen-year-old Isaiah has big goals in life. One of those goals is to be a professional athlete. He's already got a huge fan, his mother, Sylvia, but now he's looking for someone else to cheer him on.

"I want a Big Brother to look up to, to show me the right direction," Isaiah said. "I want to learn to have a positive influence and be a better leader." Sylvia knows how important a mentor could be to helping her son achieve his goals. She wants a mentor for Isaiah who can show him "how to set a goal and how to attain that goal. How to be a winner instead of a quitter." The NFL or MLB, where Isaiah wants to end up one day, accepts only the best athletes, but drive, determination, and leadership are all as important as physical ability.

Isaiah's interests aren't only in sports, however. He's a smart student who wants to own his own business, and he's gearing up for a part in a movie his church is producing. He would thrive with a mentor who is as well rounded as he is. "A Christ-centered person with integrity who can show Isaiah how to treat a lady," Sylvia said of her ideal mentor for her son. Isaiah would like a mentor who can play sports, too, of course.

Although he hasn't decided between becoming a business tycoon or a professional athlete, Isaiah is planning for success. A mentor could help him by being a good example and instilling values that will aid him throughout his life - whether he ends up on the cover of Forbes, has his own Wheaties box, or just grows up to become an honorable and successful adult.

Isaiah is one of many children in the Birmingham area that is waiting to be matched with a mentor from Big Brothers Big Sisters. To learn more about becoming a mentor, visit http://www.bbbsbhm.org/ or call (205) 939-5590.