2010 National Big Sister of the Year

Angela Rodriquez, an assistant clothing store manager, said she has watched her Little Sister, Sabriyah of Newark, New Jersey, "grow from a 9-year-old shy little girl into a remarkable 17-year-old young woman." Sabriyah said her many experiences with Angela -- visits to monuments, book signings, beach trips, even creating an opportunity for her to work at a theater concession stand -- have shaped who she is today.

The teenager will begin college next fall and plans to become a lawyer. Sabriyah's mother, who enrolled her daughter in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties when she was a third grader, said Angela has been a constant and consistent inspiration to her daughter. A single mother, she wanted to provide her children with every opportunity to succeed. When Sabriyah heads off to college, Angela will continue supporting her Little Sister's family as Big Sister to Sabriyah's six-year-old sister, Zahiriah.

"I have never seen such a passion-driven individual who even in these trying economic times continues to mentor," said Chrissy Steed, the mentor manager who supports Angela, Sabriyah and her family in the mentoring match.

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Nonprofits & Activism

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