Waiting Kauffman Scholar Seniors
The Kauffman Scholars/BBBS partnership offers mentors to college-bound high school seniors that just need some guidance and support in their last months of high school and first months of college. The time commitment for volunteers with this partnership is less rigorous than our traditional program for younger children and only requires monthly outings and periodic contact via email and phone rather than weekly outings.
Below are profiles of some of the Scholars who are looking for a friend and mentor to help them along. The ones listed below will be matched "first come first served" pending that preferences align and a match can be made. If you see someone you're interested in and they have already been chosen, don't despair - we have several more waiting that we are sure will also interest you.
Yessenia describes herself as “funny, talkative, outgoing, loud (around people she knows) and unique.” She is Latina and lives with her parents and 3 younger siblings, her mother only speaks Spanish. Yessenia is interested in Child Psychology and wants to study at KU or Park. Her favorite subject is history and least favorite subject is math. In her free time, she enjoys movies, eating out, games, go-carting, texting, reading and trying new things. Her mother prefers a non-smoker in her 20s or 30s who can motivate her. She lives in KCMO.
Xochitl (pronounced “so-chee”) describes herself as “very determined, driven and self-motivated.” She loves playing soccer, learning new moves in wrestling and listening to music. She also enjoys helping others, shopping, movies and going out to eat. Xochitl is Latina and lives with her parents and two younger sisters. She was voted Student of the Month for her District in January, 2008. She states that she likes all subjects equally and is hoping to study Electrical Engineering at college. She is looking into KU, USC, UT and Notre Dame. Her mother wants a non-smoker, non-drinker, non-gun owning Big Sister that is a positive person. Xochitl wants a Big that has played a sport before and is into academics. She lives in KCK.
Lawrencia is a soft-spoken and polite African-American Little Sister who lives with her Mother in KCK. She is interested in singing, dancing, movies, reading, hanging out with friends and watching TV. She is involved in DECA and Children’s Church. She is hoping to attend UMKC in the fall and major in Elementary Education with a long-term goal of being a teacher in an urban school district. She would like a BS that is a Christian and has experience in the Education field.
Cesar is a courteous and gentle-natured young man. He enjoys soccer and would like to try baseball, but his afterschool job and school activities keep him very busy. He moved to the United States from Guatemala five years ago, and he is proud to be the first person in his family to make it to his senior year. Math is his favorite class, and he is interested studying engineering in college. He lives in KCK with his parents, three brothers, sister and one sister-in-law. He would love a Big Brother who maybe spoke Spanish and was interested in math and engineering.
Though rather shy, Yajaira also has a more daring streak – she’d really like to try bungee jumping. She is a soft-spoken Latina Little sister, who gets more talkative once she knows a person. School is really a priority with her and she’ll be graduating with fifteen college credits. She plays soccer and is involved with community service. She enjoys studying history and science and is interested in International Business. She lives in KCMO with her mother and she has already been accepted by Rockhurst and the University of Saint Mary. She would like a Big Sister who is talkative and patient while she opens up.
Jasmine, an African-American Little Sister, knows what she wants and goes out and does it. She’s quiet and kind of a homebody; she doesn’t like to go out and party. She puts a real emphasis on her grades and is in the honor society. She also won first place in a business plan competition. She lives with her mother, stepfather, and her two younger brothers in KCK. She also two older brothers and an older sister. Her schedule – which also includes ROTC and the basketball team – keeps her busy, but she’d like to find time for a Big Sister who’s as much fun as she is.
Chris is an African-American Little Brother who aspires to be a journalist, and he is also interested in psychology. He likes to be out and about – hanging out with friends or going to the movies. On the other hand, he’s also pretty happy to stay in and either read fantasy novels or play video games. He is interested in attending Florida A&M or the University of Missouri. He lives with his brother, his mother and her boyfriend just off of I-635 near the Missouri River. He’d really like a Big who could give him insight into the field of journalism and the college experience in general and who is also into music and video games.
Jeremy is an introverted and polite African-American Little Brother. He’s not one to follow the crowd, but once past his initial reserve, Jeremy is laidback kid with a great sense of humor. He lives with his mother, two brothers and grandfather in KCMO. Like most kids his age, he enjoys playing video games, and he’s also active in church activities. He’s currently interested in studying Engineering, but is keeping his options open. He would like to attend Pittsburgh State or K-State. Ideally, his Big Brother would be willing to be a Big Brother to Jeremy’s younger brothers as well.
Christopher is a Latino Little Brother who is looking forward to the challenges of college – he’s got this high school thing down and is ready to move on. He’s quiet at first, but warms up quickly once you get to know him. His favorite classes are Math, Economics, Piano Lab and Weight Lifting, but he’s decidedly less keen on Science. He lives with his mom in KCK. He’d like to pursue International Business or Economics. He keeps pretty busy with his job, school activities, and, oh yeah, the girlfriend. A Big who is interested in the field of business or finance would be a good match.
Jamone is a polite and soft-spoken African-American Little Brother. He loves art and drawing; he hopes to study graphic design in college. When he’s not creating art, he participates in track and enjoys basketball and football. He likes to hang out with his friends and says that they like to figure out what they’re going to do with their lives. He would like to study the Kansas City Art Institute, KU, K-State or UMKC. He lives with his parents, and his younger brother in KCK. He hopes his Big Brother will have a good sense of humor, but also will give good advice.
Whitney is a cheery and humorous African-American Little Sister who wants a career helping people, though she’s not quite sure how just yet. She’s considering both nursing and social work. Whitney is gregarious and good-humored and loves to entertain other people. In her free time, she likes to read books, spend time at home, go to the movies with friends, shop and talk on the phone. She lives in Midtown with her mother. Whitney would like to attend a local school like Park University or UMKC. She’s hoping to find a Big who shares her interest in helping people.
Arianna is an African-American Little Sister of many interests: basketball, bowling, reading, guitar, chess, sewing…. She’s quiet around people she doesn’t know but easy to get along with and fun. She lives with her mother, three sisters and brother in Midtown. She has a good relationship with all of them. She’s considering going to Ohio State University, Boston University and UMKC, among others. She’d really like her Big Sister to help advise her on career choices; right now she’s considering both dentistry and accounting. She’s got the drive to succeed, but could really use advice in career matters.
A friendly African-American Little Brother, CJ likes to ride horses, which is an interest he hopes to continue by studying zoology or animal science. He enjoys basketball, too, and likes to hang out with his friends. CJ excels in his Science and English classes, but finds Math a bit more challenging. He’s applied to Fort Hays State and Kansas State University since they have good animal husbandry programs. He lives with his parents and two older brothers in Wyandotte County. He’s hoping to find a Big who can give insight into college life and knows how to navigate the tricky waters of academia.
If you are interested in being matched to any of these Scholars, please contact Scott@bbbskc.org who will walk you through the application process to become a Big.
