Mentoring Matters - Little sister worked hard to earn big & bright future

REPLACE THE SEASON THE COURT INCLUDING ONE LEFT VACANT BY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA. WE ARE COMMITTED TO BRINGING YOU STORIES ABOUT WHY MENTORING MATTERS. BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS POSTED A GRADUATION CELEBRATION FOR ITS MENTEES IT RECENTLY. 300 STUDENTS WERE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BUT ONE YOUNG LADY STOOD OUT FROM THE REST. WHAT A SURPRISE SHE GOT TO TAKE HIM. Reporter: MAKE SOME NOISE FOR MONET. MONET DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AFTER A CHILDHOOD SPENT IN AND OUT OF HOMELESS SHELTERS AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SHE HAS JUST GRADUATED FROM MIAMI BEACH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WITH A BETTER THAN 3.0 GPA. HER WORK WILL TAKE HER TO MIAMI- DADE HONORS PROGRAM IN THE FALL AND IT HAS WON FOR A $3000 SCHOLARSHIP AND A NEW CAR. IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE HER WANT TO SING, NOTHING IS. I FEEL LIKE WITH EDUCATION YOU CAN DEFINE YOUR OWN FUTURE. YOU DON'T NEED WHATEVER YOUR CURRENT SITUATION IS TO BE THAT. THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK OF WHEN I WOULD FEEL LESS HELPFUL. IF I KEEP WORKING AT IT I WILL BE AT A POINT WHERE I WANT TO BE SOMEDAY. FOR TWO YEARS MONET HAS BEEN PAIRED WITH DAWN AS PART OF THE BIG SISTER LITTLE SISTER PROGRAM. IT MAKES ME FEEL REALLY GOOD AND MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I DID A GOOD JOB. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING, LET US KNOW. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU. DAWN IS A SELF-EMPLOYED ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS ALWAYS FELT AN URGE TO GET BACK. MY LITTLE SISTER, I AM SO PROUD OF HER. IT WAS SOMETHING I FELT I WANTED TO DO TO BE THERE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE AND TO CARE ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE OTHER THAN MYSELF. IT IS NICE TO GET TO ANOTHER PERSON. ARE GIVING IN HER TIME HAS HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE. DAWN IS LIKE A BUSINESSWOMAN AND THAT IS SO INSPIRING TO SEE THAT EVERY DAY. A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE PEOPLE TELLING WOMEN THEY CAN'T DO SOMETHING IN SOME WOMEN THINK THAT AND SHE DOESN'T. FOR DAWN WHO DIDN'T HAVE A MENTOR GROWING UP, HER RELATIONSHIP WITH MONET IS IMPORTANT. I LOOK AT HER AS MY SISTER AND SHE IS -- SHE BRINGS SO MUCH TO ME BECAUSE I SEE HOW AMBITIOUS SHE IS. WHEN WE GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT OUR GOALS AND BUT WE WANT TO DO, WE GET PUMPED UP. IT IS NOT A ONE-WAY STREET. IT IS DEFINITELY WORKING BOTH WAYS. MONET WILL SPEND TWO YEARS IN COLLEGE AND TRANSFER TO AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL. SHE IS THE FIRST IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE AND SHE WANTS TO BE A PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT IN ONE DAY SHE WANTS TO BE A MENTOR FOR ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN. I WILL BE A BIG SISTER WHEN I CAN BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS WONDERFUL AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET BACK IN THE SAME WAY.> WHAT A GREAT PAIR THEY ARE. SHE IS STUDYING PREMED CLASSES SO THAT SHE CAN GO ON AND BECOME A PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT. SHE IS THE OLDEST OF FOUR AND THE FIRST TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND HER FAMILY AND THE FIRST TO GO TO COLLEGE. CONGRATULATIONS TO MONET. AND WAY TO GO, DAWN. GO TO OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN BECOME A MENTOR.