Meet Alicyn and Daisy. This dynamic duo was matched with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine in June 2018. They share a profound love of being outdoors, science and smiling. Here is their story, as told by Big Sister Alicyn.

Over the last nine months, I have had the opportunity to be a Big to an amazing Little. Daisy is an extremely bright nine-year-old girl who loves science, specifically plants and insects. At just nine years old she knows the order classifications of insects, something usually learned by sophomores in college! She greatly enjoys the outdoors, swimming and studying insects, we share many hobbies, making this match very special for both of us.

During our weekly visits, I have tried to widen her understanding of science by showing her my insect collection, having her come to my lab and playing with aquatic animals. Entering this match, knowing only a little about Daisy, one of my goals was to foster her interest in a STEM field. Now, well into my first year with her, I realize that this match is much, much more than just opening her eyes to a field we both have interest in. These experiences could be the driving force for her to go further in her education and be a positive influence on our society.

Every time I’m with Daisy, I’m not only astounded by her intelligence, but also by her limited scope of what many would consider fundamental life experiences. As a Big. I never thought I would be the one to introduce and explain to her the sound windshield wipers make when it rains. However, Daisy comes from a family that does not have a car and therefore struggled while riding in my car with things like the natural feeling a vehicle makes when turning onto a highway off-ramp. Traveling longer than 10-15 minutes can still be a challenge, but together we are finding tricks to keep Daisy feeling comfortable.

I’ve also come to learn that Daisy is often hungry when I pick her up for our visits. On one occasion I decided to take her to a sit-down restaurant. Daisy shared with me that this was her first time eating at a restaurant and she asked many questions about the job of the waitress in particular. After finishing our meals, she offered to take my plate up, as if in a cafeteria setting where you discard your food and return your plate. I took the time to talk about how the restaurant industry worked and how it was the waitress who picked up our plate. I also explained how we would leave a tip for good service. During this same meal, I also taught her how to hold a fork and knife when utensils are required for eating. This was all new to her.

I never thought I could impact my Little as much as I have and the feeling that these experiences impact her now and into the future is incredibly rewarding. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity and support from Big Brother Big Sisters of Mid-Maine to facilitate this match and support me through this process. Every shared moment of joy and every challenge is worth it when Daisy asks me “can we hang out forever?”