One Mentor. Endless Possibilities.
When Eason was matched with his Big Brother, Ben, he wasn’t looking for someone to change his life—he was simply hoping for a positive male role model.
Raised in a single-parent household alongside his mom, aunt, and grandmother, Eason wanted someone who could offer a different perspective and help him navigate the transition into adulthood. What he found was a mentor who became a trusted friend, sounding board, and source of confidence.
The connection was immediate.
During their very first outing, Ben shared stories about working in the technology industry and his passion for artificial intelligence. As someone equally fascinated by tech, Eason instantly knew they had plenty in common. Their conversations quickly expanded beyond AI to include cooking, fitness, career aspirations, and life in general.
“Ben has a humorous but introspective perspective on life,” Eason says. “I’ve learned so much from him.”
One of the biggest lessons Ben taught him was that confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build.
Together, they attended networking events, technology conferences, and even represented Big Brothers Big Sisters Calgary as guests of honour at a fundraising golf tournament. Speaking in front of a large audience was intimidating, but Ben encouraged Eason to embrace every opportunity, reminding him that growth comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.
“I learned that every time you put yourself out there, you gain a little more confidence,” Eason says. “You stop worrying about making mistakes because that’s how you learn.”
That mindset helped inspire one of Eason’s proudest accomplishments.
Motivated by their shared interest in AI, Eason co-founded a youth technology workshop with a classmate. The first events were challenging. Attendance was low, marketing felt overwhelming, and they struggled to identify their audience. Ben patiently coached Eason through those early obstacles, helping him think strategically while reminding him to keep expectations realistic and celebrate progress along the way.
Today, those workshops attract more than 50 participants, connect young people with industry leaders, and have featured speakers from the University of Calgary. Along the way, Eason has developed leadership, teamwork, event planning, and communication skills that will serve him well for years to come.
Of course, not every memory was about work. Ben and Eason also spent time skiing, geocaching, trying iFLY, and sharing meals with Eason’s family. One of Eason’s favourite memories is watching Ben learn to make homemade dumplings—a lesson that came with plenty of laughter and playful teasing from his family.
This fall, Eason is heading to the University of British Columbia to study International Economics. While he’s excited for the future, leaving Calgary also means saying goodbye to the mentor who helped shape so much of his journey.
“I’ll miss Ben because he taught me how to be a better person, a better friend, and someone who takes responsibility,” Eason says.
Although their formal match is ending, their relationship isn’t. They plan to stay in touch, and Eason hopes to one day bring the youth AI workshops he helped build in Calgary to Vancouver.
For Eason, mentorship wasn’t just about having someone to look up to—it was about discovering the confidence to become someone others can look up to.