In July of 2006, the time was just right for Jessica Vincent to pursue her wish to become a Big Sister; she had entered graduate school but her schedule was allowing her to become a mentor, something she had wanted to do for many years. After going through the “match process” which includes an interview, screenings, background checks and a volunteer orientation, Vincent found Xyre. They were matched on July 17, 2006 thus celebrating their 3rd anniversary this July.

They are part of Big Sisters of Rhode Island’s Mentoring Children of Prisoners program called The Amachi program. Xyre’s mother, Brandy, had heard about the program through The Children’s Network in Providence. Brandy is a single parent of three children, and is working full time and going to school. Xyre’s father was incarcerated out of state. She wanted Xyre to have an opportunity to spend time with a positive female role model and have the guidance and companionship of an “older sister”. Xyre was matched at the age of five with her Big Sister, Vincent. Vincent had worked as a substitute teacher in public schools in California and was working towards a Master’s degree in special education. She admired young children’s enthusiasm, curiosity and imagination. Her hope was to mentor a younger girl in the Mentoring Children of Prisoners program, a program where she felt that there was a need for mentors.

As Girl Scouts nears its 100th anniversary, the organization has used its expertise to make some considerable changes to the way it teaches girls about leadership. The result – called the new Girl Scout Leadership Experience – takes a modern approach to leadership development and utilizes colorful new guides that take girls on “journeys” to discover, connect and take action in their communities. The model begins with a definition of leadership that girls understand and believe in: a leader, girls say, is defined not only by the qualities and skills one has, but also by how those qualities and skills are used to make a difference in the world.

What remains the same, however, is that the success of a Girl Scout troop still ultimately depends on the enthusiasm and commitment of a single adult volunteer. And Lynn Davignon, leader of Cumberland Girl Scout Troop 73 for thirteen years, is a shining example of just such a creature.