KNOXVILLE, Tenn — When fourth grader, Brianna, sits down to play her favorite board game there is no apologizing, especially when she is up against a Knox County corrections officer.
"She likes to challenge you to games. She was reminding me that we have a standoff for 'Sorry' today," Cpl. Andrea Parton laughed.
Cpl. Parton and the 9-year-old were matched last year through Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee as part of Ritta Elementary School's 'Bigs in Blue' program.
"She's very nice," Brianna smiled. "We talk and play games."
More than 100 children are currently on the waiting list for mentors with BBBS of East Tennessee, but there are not enough volunteers.
RELATED: Live A Little: Meet Lily
RELATED: Live A Little: Meet LaJada
"It's definitely been very rewarding," Cpl. Parton said. "Especially in the line of work we have you forget how to have fun and just enjoy life, enjoy little things."
Brianna is the youngest in her family.
And just like her 'big' sister, she says she might also want to work for the sheriff's office someday.
Cpl. Parton hopes she can be a positive female role model.
"In TV shows growing up you don't see the positive side, you see the brunt force of everything, so I think it's a good idea, and it shows them we're still human. We still like to have fun and play games, and we have very similar experiences to a lot of these kids growing up," she said.
Click here if you would like to become a mentor or volunteer.