By Ryan Lucas
When Jordan “Jojo” Daghe signed up as a mentor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, she was told it could take up to three months for her to be paired with a Little Sister. But only a few days later, she was paired with Brooky Pickard, who she said is now like a real sister to her.
Daghe received the IU Big Sister of the Year award from the Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana program for her strong relationship with Pickard.
Mark Voland, executive director of the South Central Indiana branch, said the award is given to a person who has been matched with the same Little for more than two years and has shown positive outcomes from their relationship with their Little.
“That person represents all of the Bigs in the program,” Voland said. “All of our Bigs are really great, and everybody is really a Big of the Year, but Jojo represents all our IU Bigs who have participated in the past year.”
Daghe is a senior at IU and is currently student teaching in Indianapolis to complete her studies in elementary and special education. Despite the distance, she said she and Pickard, 10, spend time together at least once a week.
Daghe and Pickard have been paired since September 2013. Despite some concerns about how well the match would work, Daghe said it never was an issue.
“I think we communicate really well,” she said. “We always have. We get along, understand each other pretty well, and we have similar personalities and interests.”
Daghe said they enjoy going out to eat, hiking, playing soccer and enjoying the outdoors together. Pickard will be the flower girl in Daghe’s wedding in May.
Daghe said one of their best memories together was when Pickard passed the IREAD-3 test, which is a standard for students moving from third to fourth grade.
“We worked all summer with reading and worked really hard,” Daghe said. “When her mom told me she passed, we had a celebration.”
Voland said Daghe’s positive influence on Pickard’s education was one of the reasons she was named Big Sister of the Year.
Daghe said she plans on continuing her relationship with Pickard even after she graduates from IU.
“She’s a part of my family and I am a part of hers, and you just really feel that,” Daghe said. “You really do feel that sister feeling.”
Pickard, now a fifth grader at Grandview Elementary, said the BBBS program is “the bomb.”
“I get to have somebody that will help me a lot,” Pickard said. “Like if I’m stuck on something, she will help me with it.”
The positive influences have also affected Daghe, who said the program changed her outlook toward herself, others and friendship in general.
“I would honestly say to anybody that this program is the best thing I ever did in college,” she said. “Just the heart you get to put behind it isn’t like any other thing that I was involved in.”
