I remember my Little Brother, Robert, would ask me every Wednesday, “Will you be back again next week?” It literally took months of me coming to visit him each week at his school to convince him that I was, indeed, going to keep showing up.

Robert and I knew each other for three years. We spent one hour each week together playing tetherball, working on his homework, playing games, laughing and just hanging out. Robert was a great kid – smart, funny, resilient – and I enjoyed every minute I spent with him. I heard from his teachers that he was more attentive in class, he had more friends and he gained a different perspective on life.

As for me, I gained a different perspective on life, too. I learned how to appreciate life through the eyes of a child. I learned that geometry really does matter in life. And I learned that showing up for Robert once a week made me just as happy as it made him.

There are many more children like Robert in Washington state – more than 240,000 in fact – who would benefit from an adult friend in their life. Just one more person to encourage them, cheer them on and help them navigate through life in a positive and productive way.

National studies show that children with a Big Brother or Big Sister are 52 percent less likely than their peers to skip school, 30 percent less likely to behave violently, 46 percent less likely to use illegal drugs and alcohol and 37 percent more likely to have stronger family and peer relationships. Likewise, adults who were Little Brothers and Little Sisters are better educated and wealthier and have strong relationships with their spouses, children and friends.

Right now there are children on the Eastside who are waiting for just that friend to help change their perspective and change their lives. The majority of these kids are boys of color looking for that male role model. If you’re a guy 18 or older looking for a way to do something fun and positive, being a Big Brother might be just the right thing for you.

To learn more about our powerful programs, please join us for our first Eastside Little Lunch on March 4 at Puget Sound Energy’s headquarters in Bellevue. For more information, log on to bbbsps.org.

Kids will find role models – it’s what we do to help them find the right role models that can change the trajectory of their lives.

Patrick D’Amelio is President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound.