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Mentoring Matters: Big Brothers Big Sisters Take On Leadership Lessons

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Andre and Andy were brought together by the Big Brothers Big Sisters School to Work Program and they quickly became mentor and mentee.

Jackson North Medical Center CEO Andre Boyd, makes it a point to get out and meet his employees whenever he can but one special day Boyd was being shadowed by his little brother Andy Siclate.

Jackson North has been participating in the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-To-Work mentoring program for about a year.

"The big part is mentoring them, giving them an opportunity to learn different things throughout their experience here as well as building up a relationship with the kids, hopefully, a lasting relationship going forward," said Andre.

"One of the main things we always talk about is leadership," said Andy. "He shows me like leadership is not always about you being the top guy. You can be a leader by making someone around you better and stuff like that."

The School-To-Work program is Big Brothers-Big Sisters workplace program based on a one-on-one mentoring program. Through the partnership, local organizations give back to the community by hosting students from a nearby high school once a month.

"The last time we got to bring him to the O-R, he got to see a little bit about some surgery, brought him to the lab to see some lab specimens and talk to our pathologist. Actually, that opportunity has him entertaining a possibility of becoming a pathologist one-day cause he was so excited about it," said Andre.

"Forensic nursing is what I want to be but, the medical path, that's my path….Forensic medicine is what I really enjoy a lot," said Andy.

Medicine isn't the only passion Andre and Andy share. The two are very competitive when it comes to sports, and often when they are together at the hospital the conversation drifts in that direction.

"I heard about him playing basketball and I said so you're going to teach me how to dunk, and then he told me he didn't know how to dunk so I said how are you going to be six- foot one and can't dunk, what kind of stuff is that. That's the kind of a joke we do every time I see him," said Andre,

You can see how Andre and Andy have truly bonded, and in a short amount of time, their relationship has impacted both their lives.

"I see a lot of the characteristics in Andy that I would love for my son. My son is 4 now and Andy, his spirit, his energy, and his passion for wanting to learn, is some things I hope someday my son has," said Andre,

"I found a good mentor," said Andy.

Andy is now a senior at North Miami High School. He is thinking about going to the University of South Florida or the University of Central Florida on his path to a career in forensic medicine.

If you are a mentor and would like to share your story with us, please email us at mentoringmatters@cbs.com or CLICK HERE for more information about how you can become a mentor.

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