Meet our 2022 Big and Little Brother of the Year – Big Brother Kent & Little Brother Antonio! Kent and Antonio have been matched since June of 2021. Kent decided to become a Big because he would have wanted a Big Brother as a kid and wanted the opportunity to support a Little.
Kent and Antonio have been matched in our community-based program since June of 2021. Throughout their time together Kent has made sure to support and encourage his Little Brother's goals and give him new experiences. Antonio is very shy and reserved and sometimes gets anxious when doing things, but Kent is right there supporting and encouraging him along the way. Throughout the match, Antonio has opened up to Kent more and has gained confidence. Together, Kent and Antonio like to play video games, play basketball, go bowling, and watch movies. Kent and Antonio’s favorite video game to play together is Fortnite.
When Antonio is with Kent, he is able to be his true self and has been able to open up to Kent. For Antonio and Kent, it hasn’t been the big things, it's been the little, new experiences. One of Antonio’s favorite things was when Kent took him to have his first warm Krispy Kreme donut, and Kent got to see his face light up. Kent also took Antonio ice skating for the first time. Before starting, Antonio was nervous, but by the end, Antonio had a blast.
Antonio is a kid who is small for his age. In the past he has been bullied for his size. This past year, Antonio was working on trying out for basketball, but was discouraged because of the bullying. With Kent’s support, Antonio completed basketball tryouts, and he was named the team captain.
Antonio was also able to drop the first puck at the Thunderbolts game in February, which was also Antonio’s first hockey game. Before doing that, Antonio was very nervous and not talking to either of us. Despite this, Kent was encouraging Antonio and reminding him that he was right there to help him. After dropping the puck, Antonio was happy and talking to Kent excitedly. Vickie said that the hockey game was a highlight for Antonio.
Recognizing Antonio’s goal of getting better at basketball, Kent took Antonio to the Division II Championship game. Kent described Antonio as lighting up when they went.
Kent was named the Big Brother of the Year at the 2022 Gala! Congratulations to Kent and Antonio!
Thank you Kent for being a mentor and advocate!
Click here to watch their story.
If you're interested in being a Big like Kent, visit mentoringkids.org or give our enrollment team a call at (812) 425-6076!
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