High Point mentoring program pairs children with lifelong Big Brothers, Big Sisters

A friendship that shows what mentoring can become

A High Point University student and the child he mentors have turned a formal pairing into something more ordinary and more powerful: a steady friendship built through games, trips to a trampoline park, and fishing on local lakes. Cosmo Esposito says Khryi Nixon is not just his Little, but one of his best friends, and that is the clearest picture of what Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont says it is trying to create across High Point and the Triad.

That kind of relationship matters because it fills a gap many children feel outside the home and classroom. Big Brothers Big Sisters says its mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships for children facing adversity, especially those in single-parent homes, living in poverty, or coping with parental incarceration. In Guilford County, where demand remains high, that mission is not abstract. The organization says about 75 to 100 children are still waiting for a Big, and its current impact figures list 100 youth waiting.

The waitlist is the story behind the smile

The Fox8 feature gives the program a human face, but the numbers show why the need is still urgent. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont says it currently serves 443 children, pairs them with 330 volunteer mentors, and has delivered 47,000 hours of mentoring. The group has been defending and developing youth potential in the Central Piedmont since 1979, yet the waitlist shows that many children in High Point and nearby communities are still hoping for a consistent adult outside their immediate family.

What happens when a child does not get matched is easy to overlook because the loss is quiet. There is no emergency siren or locked gate, just a missing layer of support. The organization says mentoring is associated with better school performance, stronger relationships, and less risky behavior, while teachers in its school-based program report that students return more confident and eager to learn. In practice, that means a child without a match may be missing the regular encouragement that helps school feel manageable and the broader confidence that comes from having an adult who shows up month after month.

How the mentoring model works

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont says the relationships are designed to be simple, steady, and realistic. Community-based mentors typically spend at least four hours a month with a Little, a time commitment that makes the work accessible for adults with jobs, families, and busy schedules. School-based matches meet at a school or after-school site, which can make it easier for younger children to stay connected to a mentor during the academic day.

The nonprofit says those relationships are not casual drop-ins. Volunteers go through thorough background checks, and parents must take part in orientation and an in-person interview before a child is enrolled. The organization also says it provides ongoing professional support, so the match is guided rather than left to chance. That structure is part of why the group describes itself as one of the largest and most effective youth-mentoring organizations in the state.

What the support dollars do in High Point schools

The High Point Community Foundation grant mentioned in the Fox8 story will help continue services for 13 children at Johnson Street Global Studies, Kirkman Park, and Parkview Elementary School. Those are not just names on a grant sheet. They are the places where mentoring can shape a child’s day-to-day experience, especially when a school-based match gives a student a dependable adult connection and a reason to look forward to seeing someone who is there only for them.

The nonprofit says a full year of mentoring costs $2,400, close to the $2,500 figure cited by CEO Wendy Rivers in the Fox8 report. That cost helps explain why funding matters as much as volunteers do. Every new match carries a real program expense, and each child served depends on a mix of donor support, grant funding, and adult time. Big Brothers Big Sisters says that combination is what allows it to keep more than a century-old national model working in a local community.

A network with deep roots, and local offices that matter

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America dates to 1904 and now operates in all 50 states, but the Central Piedmont affiliate has its own long track record in Greensboro, High Point, and surrounding communities. Its Greensboro office is at 502 Hickory Ridge Drive, and it also lists a High Point mailing address at P.O. Box 627. Wendy Rivers is the president and CEO, and Krista Johnston is vice president of development and partnerships.

For families, the program is aimed at children who would benefit from extra guidance and consistency. For adults, the ask is straightforward: give a few hours a month, show up reliably, and let a relationship grow over time. The model works because it is not trying to substitute for parents, teachers, or coaches. It is trying to add one more steady person to a child’s circle.

How to get involved

Adults who want to mentor can begin with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont through its Greensboro office or its High Point mailing address. The organization screens volunteers, explains match options, and connects adults to either community-based or school-based mentoring depending on availability and fit.

A good match does not happen by accident, and that is exactly why the program remains so valuable in Guilford County. In High Point, one student and one child are already showing what that looks like. Around them, dozens more are still waiting for the same chance.