Feb. 9, 2016
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - In Andrea Neswiacheny’s three years at UCF, she had done her fair share of volunteering. But a message from UCF emcee and leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, John Evans, encouraged her to do something more.
Evans said that it was easy to just give canned goods or money, but what kids really need are people to spend time with them, taking them places and showing them about social interactions.
Neswiacheny was inspired. She went home, got on her computer and searched for ways to be a mentor. She found the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a program based on the belief that partnering a parent or guardian and volunteers throughout the community, kids facing adversity can be supported through a one-on-one relationship with a mentor to help shape their lives, academically and socially.
Neswiacheny has a twin brother and an older half-sister, so having a “little sister” so close in age is something new that she has been excited about.
“I’ve grown up with my twin brother, and we’ve just been so competitive,” Neswiacheny said. “This is kind of like a nicer, calmer relationship because I can relate to her. It’s nice to have that.”
Becoming a Big Sister involved and application process and an in-person interview. Neswiacheny noted that while it is an extensive process, the program wants to make sure everyone finds a compatible match.
“You have to give five references. They call each reference and interview them and then you go in for the interview,” Neswiacheny said. “It’s definitely personality based.”
At the end of November, Neswiacheny was paired with her Little, a 14-year-old from Orlando. Due to her privacy, her name has been withheld from this article.
“I met her with the Big Brother Big Sister director; that was our first meeting,” Neswiacheny said. “We filled out worksheets with things like our favorite color, favorite animal and favorite food so we could get to know each other.”
The pair were matched because of their love of sports. Both being softball players, it was easy for them to start their relationship on common ground: the softball field.
“She’s big in softball,” Neswiacheny said. “She had tryouts Jan. 30, so we went to the field for our first outing. We hit and we fielded, just getting her ready for the tryouts.”
Neswiacheny’s Big Sister status will last for a year. While meetings are based on both the Big and Little’s schedules, the program requires either two meetings or four hours a month.
During softball season, the Jacksonville, Fla., native’s spare time is hard to come by, but head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie has seen Neswiacheny put forth extra effort to build the relationship.
“The selflessness and the kind-heartedness that she is showing is just another example of who Andrea is,” Gillispie said. “I’m very proud of her giving back to her community and helping this young lady. She’s showing her the bigger picture. Anything is possible, regardless of your situation, which is what we’ve always preached to our players.”
When they get together, whether it is at the field or out to eat, they sometimes talk about softball and being in college, but they mostly talk about what is going on in Neswiacheny’s Little Sister’s life.
“I’m closer to her age so it’s easier to relate to her instead of her mom or grandma,” Neswiacheny said. “I’m the person she’ll turn to for advice in certain situations.”
When they aren’t together, they text each other to plan their next meeting. With softball season right around the corner, they plan to go to each other’s practices and games. Neswiacheny is even going introduce her Little to her family when they come down from Jacksonville for UCF’s first home game on Feb. 11.
Neswiacheny is the first of her friends and family to become a Big Sister and mentor a Little, but she hopes that her relationship encourages more people to get involved.
“It’s kind of out of my comfort zone but I thought I would just take a risk. So far so good,” laughed Neswiacheny.
Story by Christina Aguis