Mercer Island mentor Nak Nayar and his buddy may have only been matched 8 months but in that short time they have a forged a wonderful friendship. The boys both attend Mercer Island High School so they see one another at school as well as spending time together every weekend.

Friendship is a true gift and one that Issaquah mentor Rylie has given to her buddy. Matched for almost a year, Rylie has been a calming and consistent presence in her buddy’s life.

“My mentorship with my buddy has grown so much in the past year”, say Eastlake mentor Lauren.” We have done so many fun activities together and it is something new every week. Being able to mentor my buddy and having her as one of my friends means so much to me and it warms my heart every time I see her because she is always so excited to be with me.

“My time with my buddy has been truly astounding. From the beginning, he has shown pure enthusiasm and I enjoy spending any amount of time being around him.”

When I was matched with my buddy, I wasn’t really sure what to expect” says Redmond mentor Kojo. “I knew what I wanted out of it – experience, fun, and the chance to grow as a person– but I didn’t know what his expectations for me were.