Ariel & Katie

Meet Ariel & Katie! These two have been matched for 10 year and are our longest running active match in the program. Ariel is preparing to graduate and go to college soon, and Katie is right beside her, helping her prepare for the next chapter of her life. Both Big and Little have shared that they feel like “real sisters” and that is not going to end when Ariel graduates. No matter where life takes these two, we know they will have each other's backs, and that’s what makes them our Match of the Month! Congratulations and best of luck to you both in all your future adventures. 
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One of Ariel’s favorite memories from early in the match is when Katie took her sledding for the first time ever! She loves that they still go sledding together and that it’s something she only does with Katie. Katie said some of her favorite memories of Ariel are taking her tubing and kayaking. She remembers how Ariel started out afraid of water activities, but she grew to love them and now they are some of their favorite things. Learning to do new things together is a huge part of building a bond of trust that is essential to any successful relationship. 10 years and a lot of life changes later, these two are still going strong.

In any good match, both Big and Little learn from each other, drawing on each other's strengths and experiences. Ariel is passionate about Black History and Social Justice issues. Katie says she has appreciated that Ariel has really opened her eyes to some complex issues and made her feel comfortable discussing the differences in their experiences. Ariel says she feels like her talks with Katie make her wiser. She says Katie has taught her to breath, focus on what she can control, and not fixate on the things she can’t. Again, these two show amazing teamwork in empowering each other to learn and grow. 

As Ariel prepares to go to college, she goes with all the skill sets and wisdom her and Katie built over the last 10 years. She has confidence in her own voice, and knows that Big Sister Katie is only a phone call away if she needs her. We want to congratulate you both one more time on the team you have built and the impact you have had on one another. Thank you so much for being part of our village for so many years!