TeamMates of the Month: Genesis & Heather

Stronger Than I Thought

Genesis and her TeamMates mentor Heather aren’t shy to admit their first time meeting back in 2019 felt a little awkward. They laugh remembering how they didn’t know what to talk about, but there’s no shortage in conversation. 

“When we do projects we just talk, talk, talk,” Heather said. 

The mentoring pair recently reunited for the first time this school year and their conversation continued as if there was never a break. 

“We picked up right where we left off. We had a lot of catching up to do,” Heather added.

Heather and Genesis developed this connection at Belmont Elementary where the two were first matched. They played games to help foster communication. 

Heather explained, “but I think our relationship really developed once we started doing…”

“Artsy stuff,” Genesis finished.

Their art projects are a highlight of their TeamMates experience and connect their mutual love of animals. The pair has crafted ostriches, cows and bunnies to name a few.  There is one attempt that stands out to Heather and Genesis. They once attempted to create a parrot to resemble Genesis’s three green-cheeked conure pet birds, but it didn’t go as planned. 

Genesis said: “We were watching a step-by-step video. It involved so many feathers and took so long, but it turned out looking like a pigeon!” 

The pair’s fleece pillow project also went awry. “It was supposed to be a heart shape, but it looked more like a bean than a heart,” Genesis said.

“That’s the fun thing about projects though,” Heather added. “They don’t have to be perfect, do they? We learn along the way and sometimes we even try them again.”

Genesis said she looks forward to visits with Heather. She said they help her get ready for school faster and their projects give her “a spark.”

Their artistic endeavors even led Genesis to win a button design contest hosted by TeamMates. Genesis’s rendition of her sneaker was featured in a TeamMates fitness fundraiser. Heather even promised to hand deliver the entry to prevent it from getting lost in the mail.

Heather said the achievement was a fundamental building block in furthering their relationship. 

Heather has enjoyed watching Genesis’ growth since elementary school. Genesis has transformed from a reserved third grader to a positive, confident sixth grader who led Heather on a tour of her new middle school – Goodrich. 

TeamMates helped make this transformation possible.

“I think Heather kind of opened up my shell. Now, I talk to everybody. Even if I don’t know them, I just say hi. I can make friends with anybody. I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was,” Genesis said.

 

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