Raylaja Waller enjoyed participating in the Big Siblings program as a child. Today she mentors middle school students at City of Promise.
Growing up in Garrett Square, now Kindlewood Apartments, Raylaja Waller was the oldest of four siblings. One day, a group of UVA Madison House volunteers visited her neighborhood recreation center and introduced the Big Siblings program. “They gave us the signup forms and said we could turn them in at our school, the Madison House office, or back at the recreation center to Ms. Carey,” she recalls. “I remember running home and having my mom complete it and running it right back to the recreation center before they left.” Raylaja believes that moment was the start of something special, a meaningful relationship that would leave a lasting impact on her life.
Raylaja remembers her first Big Sib fondly. “I remember her room had bright, sheer curtains, and she taught me how to do stained glass,” she says. But it was Raylaja’s second Big Sib, Kristina, who became a steady, supportive presence in her life. “Saturday mornings she took me to Michaels Craft store to do the Saturday morning crafts,” Raylaja shares. “We made cupcakes in cake cones for my birthday, and she would take me to the Pancakes for Parkinson’s breakfast at UVA and a giant Easter egg hunt by Madison House.”
While special activities were fun, Raylaja believes Kristina’s impact showed up most in their day-to-day activities. Her favorite memories are the times they spent together right after school. “Kristina would pick me up from Venable School (now Trailblazer Elementary) and take me to the Gordon Library to help me complete my homework,” she says. “She introduced me to Amelia Bedelia books!”
Years later, Raylaja sought to reconnect. “I reached out to Madison House in 2020 for assistance in finding her,” she explains. “Eventually they found her, but not in enough time for me to invite her to my college graduation.” The two finally reconnected via email and recently through LinkedIn.
Big Siblings is one of the longest-running programs at Madison House.
Looking back, she says the Big Sibs program meant everything. “It was honestly the only time I got to know how my little siblings felt having me, in a way,” Raylaja says. “It was also the only time I had time to myself to do things I liked and try new things. I got a big sibling who was handpicked and specially matched to me!”
Today, Raylaja says she pays that impact forward as one of two middle school community school coordinators at City of Promise.
“A typical day for me is arriving at Walker School at 10 a.m. to set out snacks and set out my students’ folders,” she said. “Currently, I am teaching 32 students how to set S.M.A.R.T. Goals, create an action plan, have good study tools and habits, and develop financial literacy.”
Her connection to City of Promise runs deep. “What drew me to City of Promise was a local hero when it comes to youth mentorship by the name of Sarad Davenport,” she said. “He was the founding executive director of City of Promise, and he was very consistent in asking me to join as a founding youth member.”
Initially hesitant, she joined only after being grounded one day. “I’d seen Sarad walking through Hardy Drive in West Haven, and I yelled to him that I’ll join. One of the best decisions I made in my teenage life!” Raylaja exclaims.
Raylaja sees a clear throughline between her Big Siblings experience and her work at City of Promise.
City of Promise soon became her second family. “Because of City of Promise, my mother had assistance with my dorm room essentials, and later down the road, Mrs. Melissa Steppe-Mattox found funding to help with college books,” Raylaja says. “Post-graduation from college she recommended me for one of her roles at City of Promise that I’m now in year five of holding.”
Among the projects that bring Raylaja the most joy is the annual Holiday Store. She loves seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when they come into the City of Promise’s Pathway Center to pick out a new or gently used item for their parent or guardian. She’s equally proud of her “Tiny Investors Tuesdays,” where sixth graders build financial literacy skills.
Raylaja sees a clear throughline between her Big Sibs experience and her work today. At City of Promise, they take the kids on school visits, field trips, and recreational outings. “For many of the youth I work with, it’s just like being a little sib. Our programs at City of Promise are the only place many of them gain lived experiences,” she explains. “Outside of that, I get to be a big sister to 30 students every year in the same capacity that my Madison House Big Sister was to me.”
That mentorship continues to ripple outward. “The mentorship I gained from Kristina as my big sister influenced me to want to attend college and be what she was to me to someone else,” Raylaja says. “Thanks to City of Promise, I can be a ‘Kristina’ to several students in 5th and 6th grade and currently to four college students at my Alma mater of Virginia State University!”
Her message to today’s UVA volunteers is clear and heartfelt. “I’d tell UVA students that they are needed now more than ever. So many kids need a positive role model and your interaction, no matter how small, can make a BIG IMPACT. They are needed as volunteers, tutors, chaperones, and simply just to toss a football with or to jump rope with. Those small relationships truly make a difference.”
If you would like to volunteer for the Big Siblings program during the spring 2026 semester, contact Program Director Lucas Stocks!
By Cecilia Murphy