Alyssa and Mary
December 2024 TeamMates of the Month: Forever Friends
When Mary met her mentee Alyssa almost nine years ago, she didn’t expect to be having a conversation with her about her trip to perform in a national honors band at Carnegie Hall.
“Alyssa was very quiet. Very shy. I guess that’s what has surprised me the most, where we started and where we are now.”
Alyssa remembers her young self similarly, unsure of what her mentor would expect of her.
“I was terrified. I was excited too, but I didn’t like to talk so, it was scary.”
Mary nods agreement. A shared love of books helped and Mary picked up on that immediately, suggesting at first that they spend their time together reading to each other.
“She’d read a page out loud and I’d read a page out loud. That’s all we did for the rest of 3rd grade. We just read with each other.”
Alyssa is pretty sure one of the early titles was Because of Winn-Dixie, a book that features a dog. It only makes sense since she loves and keeps as pets, ferrets, guinea pigs and lots of cats.
“I don’t even need to go to a cat cafe,” Alyssa chuckles.
Mary is clearly proud of her mentee and knows that without Alyssa’s strength and perseverance, her story could be unfolding so differently.
“It would have been easy to quit, wouldn’t it?” she asks her young mentee.
“Oh yeah,” Alyssa replies. And, she recognizes that Mary has played a key role as well because she is very reliable and trustworthy.
“With the things I’ve been through, that’s important to me. And, I know she’s not airing my business. She always ask IF she can help me, which is great. Sometimes I don’t want anything other than someone to listen to me.”
One of the key things Alyssa feels she has gained through TeamMates is confidence.
“It’s been good to be able to come out of my shell.”
Maybe that’s why Mary is not completely surprised to learn that Alyssa spoke with the band director in charge of the honors performance at Carnegie Hall about the possibility of joining the color guard at Alabama after she graduates.
“From that quiet girl to one who talks all the time, is determined, talented and has great goals for her life, I’m so proud of her.”
Both of them see themselves being friends forever.