Being an Aym-Ha-Chaverot, or MIT mom,  requires empathy, kindness, and compassion. This is my second term on my chapter board, Eden BBG of the Wisconsin Region. When I was elected MIT mom, I was extremely excited, not even knowing how much of a blessing the position would become.

Beginning my BBYO journey in eighth grade, I did my best to attend every event. I wanted to be as active as I could and develop friendships to be a part of a community. My MIT mom, who is now a college freshman, became one of my best friends. Not only was it so cool for me to have an older sister in the chapter, but she happened to be the funniest and kindest person I have ever met. I learned to look up to her, and to this day, I strive to be a passionate leader in my chapter, just as she was. Bree ended up giving me her senior life — a gift I will carry with me throughout the rest of my time in BBYO.

This is why becoming an MIT mom was so important to me. I wanted to be the Bree Walker to my MITs, leading them through the challenges of being a MIT into the magic of being an Eden BBG.

Throughout this term, I have become close with each of my MITs. Each and every one of them has so much passion and potential that will make them great leaders, and I hope to inspire them to continue growing through BBYO.

The MIT mom not only keeps MIT active but also recruits new members, called prospects. For a long time, I tried to convince my friend to join BBYO, and finally, after lots of convincing, she is officially a member. From the moment I met Addie, I knew that she would be a perfect addition to Eden. She is passionate, kind, and, most importantly, she is proud to be Jewish. When she was young, her dad passed away. She joined our chapter to reconnect with him through Judaism and honor his memory. I am so excited to see everything that she brings to Eden, carrying on her dad’s legacy every step of the way.

I am grateful for everything that I have learned while being a MIT mom. Seeing my MITs become great leaders in the chapter makes me feel so proud, and I know that every single one of them will do great things. And of course, I am ALWAYS here for them whenever they need me, because that's what BBGs are for.