Big Brother Jesse and Little Brother Jacari
It is not uncommon for people to meet lifelong friends in the school cafeteria, as classmates are brought together for 30 minutes of shenanigans and snacks. Although only Jacari was a student, he and his Big Brother Jesse were no exception, first meeting as School Buddies. Beginning almost 7 years ago, Jesse visited his newfound young friend every week, and soon it was clear they were a great pairing despite their age difference.
“Between a young man like him and an old guy like me, there’s a lot of difference, and I don’t see how we get along, but we do,” said Jesse. 8-year-old Jacari was just as excited to get to know this new, “funny, goofy, ol’ guy.”
While Jesse may not have participated in games of cops and robbers on the school blacktop—envisioning himself with a thrown-out knee by the end—the two had a blast as School Buddies. And they quickly found their all-time favorite things to do together when they switched to the Community-Based program.
Jesse and Jacari are always up for a motorcycle ride on a sunny day with a breeze—of course, with an added pit stop at Dairy Queen. The two also frequent Rural King, watch action movies, and attend BBBS Match Activities. A life-sized version of Candyland and the bowling sessions stick out as their favorites.
After many years of shared jokes, new experiences, and unwavering support, Jacari professes the value of their unique friendship and respects the time Jesse has spent with him over so many years.
“We definitely connected on a deeper level, and he’s been there a long time,” said Jacari.
“He’s come a long way, but he’s a fantastic child,” said Jesse. “He’s growing up energy-wise, intelligence-wise. He’s got it all going on for him.”
This Big and Little Brother have a few favorite memories together that they’ve collected over their 7 years of being matched. For Jesse, it’s getting to walk together in a fashion show, commanding the runway and “kickin’ it” with some “old-school” moves for the audience. For Jacari, one day he looks back at fondly is a trip to the Glenbrook Mall—filled with nonstop jokes, laughter, and face-hurting smiles.
Although Jesse playfully describes himself as “antique”—which Jacari always counters, instead labeling him as “vintage”—he feels quite the opposite when he gets to hang out with his young pal. He knows his Little is not so little anymore, but he hopes their hangouts are one thing Jacari won’t outgrow. Jacari believes their mentorship has an important role in his life and tries to show his Big Brother how much he appreciates it.
“Because he values me, so I return it,” said Jacari. “I value the time that he takes out of his life with his wife and all that to spend time with me.”
Jesse has always liked helping out in ways people might not think about, whether that is directing neighborhood traffic to keep kids safe during Halloween or taking a chance on a BBBS program to hang out with a kid during lunchtime. One of his favorite parts of mentorship is getting to be “the big guy” and be an example for someone.
As for what he has learned from his mentor, Jacari says his Big teaches him about “integrity: not doing things that I want to do but to hold myself accountable not to do them.”
Experiencing mentorship first-hand, Jacari believes having a Big Brother or Sister could help other kids by giving them opportunities for a fun time and steering them on the right path.
“It helps younger kids put their mind into useful things instead of the wrong things,” started Jacari, “and it gives them something to look forward to. Like, ‘I can’t wait to go with my Big to do this’ or ‘I can’t wait to go out to ice cream.’ It gives them something to look forward to, so they don’t want to get in trouble, too.”
Jesse also stresses the importance of mentorships and why he thinks people should consider getting involved in the BBBS program: “The little kids. They’re so precious, and the more you’re around them, the younger you feel.”
“You do it for the little guy or the little girl,” he continued. “That’s the best reason right there.”
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