Local Youth Mentor Selected to Serve Nationally

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Zanesville affiliate of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters is making an impact locally and soon will be represented at the national level.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Youth Mentor and Zanesville High School Senior Jazzie Spencer participates locally in the Lunch Buddies program and has been designated as one of the organization’s 15 National Youth Council Board members.

“The application was really long,” Spencer said. “It took a few days but once I got it done, it was really nerve racking, waiting to see if I’d get in. And I also had to go through an interview, which I happened to have been at a tennis tournament, while I was doing that. So, I got done and then got in the interview and I just tried to spill my heart out. Like tell them what I wanted to happen, like the Big Brother Big Sister, I wanted it to grow.”

The Youth Council Board consists of members from around the country, who share their experiences along with the programs and ideas that their local Big Brothers, Big Sisters provides that have benefitted them the most. 

“Well I am really excited,” Spencer said. “I can’t wait to like be able to put my voice out there, speak for the youth and like get more opportunities for the youth in general. Just… I’m just very excited. Like I know Lunch Buddies is a big thing for me. And I was in it all the way up ‘til 5th Grade. But then I couldn’t do it 6th Grade because we didn’t have enough Lunch Buddies. And I think more people should really just try to get in there.”

Spencer encourages anyone interested in mentoring to become a local Lunch Buddy because even the smallest interaction can make the largest impact.