From Atlanta to Louisiana: New Ideas, Stronger Connections, Bigger Impact

What a week in Atlanta! 

Last week, team members from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans joined mentoring professionals from across the country for the 2026 Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference. While the conference provided opportunities to learn, collaborate, and celebrate alongside agencies from across the BBBS network, it also gave our team something even more valuable: a chance to experience the power of mentorship through the people who bring our mission to life every day.

This year's theme, Big Dreams. Bigger Vision., challenged attendees to think boldly about the future of mentoring and the possibilities that emerge when young people are connected with caring adults who believe in them.

One of the proudest moments of the week came when Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana was recognized with a 2025 Platinum Award for Program Excellence. The award reflects the strength of the mentoring relationships we support, our growth in youth served, and our commitment to helping young people reach their full potential.

But what made the week especially meaningful was sharing it with some remarkable young people and volunteers from Louisiana.

Representing Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana was Khaymen, one of our High School Bigs, who attended the conference alongside his mother. Joining him was Skye, the very first Little Sister matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans, who experienced the conference with her Big Sister, Angie.

Throughout the week, they attended sessions, connected with other youth and mentors from across the country, and served as reminders of what mentorship looks like when relationships are given the time and support to grow.

For many on our team, some of the most impactful moments happened outside of the conference rooms. Whether it was hearing youth ambassadors share their stories, watching mentors and mentees build new friendships, or simply seeing our Louisiana representatives engage with the broader BBBS community, the week brought our mission to life in ways that statistics and presentations never could.

The conference featured inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops, and conversations centered around storytelling, volunteer engagement, innovation, corporate partnerships, and the future of mentoring. One particularly special moment came when our team had the opportunity to reconnect with Frankie Russo, whose connection to our BBBS family made his presence on stage feel less like hearing from a keynote speaker and more like celebrating one of our own. Moments like that served as a reminder of how interconnected the BBBS network truly is and how mentorship creates lasting relationships that extend far beyond any single community.

Of course, no conference experience would be complete without the memories made between sessions.

From exploring the Georgia Aquarium and local museums to a silent disco, karaoke nights, shared meals, and countless laughs along the way, the week gave our Acadiana and Greater New Orleans teams an opportunity to strengthen relationships with one another. For many of us, it was a chance to spend meaningful time together outside of our day-to-day responsibilities and return home feeling even more connected as one Louisiana team.

As the conference came to a close, we left Atlanta with far more than notes and new ideas.

We returned with fresh perspectives, stronger relationships, and renewed energy for the work ahead. We learned from agencies across the country, discovered new ways to support our Bigs and Littles, and gathered ideas that will help us continue growing and evolving to better serve young people throughout Acadiana and Greater New Orleans.

Most importantly, we came home inspired by the young people, volunteers, and supporters who remind us every day why this work matters, and how one meaningful connection can create a ripple effect that lasts for generations.

Because at Big Brothers Big Sisters, big dreams become possible when someone believes in a young person's potential. And after a week like this, our vision for what's possible has never been bigger.