Big Sister of the Year, Nancy Culotta

Nancy has been matched with her Little Brother, Kyieyan since June 2016. At the time, Kyieyan had recently lost his father and was struggling to adjust to changes at home and at school. While he was a naturally energetic, sociable kid, he needed the extra support and stability of a one-on-one mentor to help him through such a difficult time. Furthermore, with younger siblings at home and a single mother, Kyieyan had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders at a young age. He had to grow up quickly, and he was struggling to stay on track academically. A few months into the match, Kyieyan was the victim of a violent incident at his school, leading to him missing several days of school. Through all of this, Nancy was available to help keep Kyieyan on track. Kyieyan demonstrated astounding perseverance, working hard to catch up with his school work and maintain his position on the football team.
Despite all the adversity Kyieyan has experienced, it is always clear that he feels safe, comfortable with Nancy – a testament to her warm, positive energy. Nancy says that it is important to her to allow Kyieyan to just be a kid. The two often enjoy time outdoors, attending sporting events, and watching movies. Nancy also takes Kyieyan to the library to read and attend educational events. Witnesses to Nancy and Kyieyan’s interactions can easily see how much Kyieyan enjoys Nancy’s company and respects her as a person. For example, at our annual picnic, we were excited to see Kyieyan trying to show off to Nancy, calling for her attention before running around and doing a cool trick. Nancy and Kyieyan have open, flowing conversations, and Kyieyan takes an active role in asking Nancy questions.
While Nancy and Kyieyan have a lot in common, Nancy does a wonderful job of supporting and taking an active interest in the things that excite Kyieyan. Kyieyan is a gifted budding athlete, so Nancy often takes him to sporting events at the University of Michigan. When Kyieyan was joining the football team for the first time, he needed a sports physical and new gear. Nancy talked to Kyieyan to make sure that he was organized and had everything he needed to participate. When Nancy found out about the Youth Impact Program, a summer camp where students practice football with NCAA and NFL coaches and learn academically using football terminology, she helped to get Kyieyan enrolled and even helped transport him to and from the camp. During the program, Kyieyan was able to interact with so many positive male role models, including Jim Harbaugh! We have no doubt that the experience of being part of that camp will have a lasting positive impact on Kyieyan’s future.
As a former board member of our chapter of BBBS, Nancy has been generously supporting our mission for a long time. While she no longer serves on the board, she still gives us her all. Nancy is constantly advocating for BBBS, sharing our posts on social media and recruiting others to become mentors. Nancy participated in Bowl for Kids’ Sake, our annual fundraiser that raises money for matches, and she often helps us coordinate activities and events with UofM (where she used to work). In addition, Nancy was an amazing Table Captain at Rise and Shine, and she even recruited others to be Table Captains as well!
Congratulations to Nancy, as Big Sister of the Year.

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