As an only child, Ashley O'Hara, 22, always wanted an older sibling to look up to when she was younger.

Although O'Hara never quite got that someone, she now has a little sister looking up to her. O'Hara has been apart of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization for almost a year as a big sister to Karina, 9.

Here is what O'Hara had to say about her experiences:

Q.How did you first become involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization?

A.I actually saw it on the TV show, "Newlyweds," when Nick Lachey went to the agency up in LA and I thought it was a neat way to get involved. I have always loved to mentor. I would always go back to my junior high school, Aliso Viejo Middle School, and I would help out with the kids and help out with plays and stuff like that.

Q.What is the process to become a big brother or sister?

A.I called the office and they e-mailed me an application. You also have to submit a picture of yourself. I was then called in for an interview and I met with the agency. They look for stability and what my interests and hobbies are. They try to match you with someone that has the same interest as you.

Q.Is there any training involved?

A.There is no training – you are just there, you are a friend for your little (sister). Because every kid is so different, I don't really think that there ever could be training. It's basically building a new friendship that you've never had and growing with it.

Q.How did they match you with Karina?

A.They have different programs; I'm in the Bright Futures program, which meets once a month. They match your interests. I am a huge Disney buff and so is she, so we both hit it off right off the bat. We are rocking out to Disney tunes in the car and stuff like that.

Q.What do you think she has learned from you?

A.It's okay to come out of your shell and you can feel comfortable with being around anybody. I think she has grown a lot within herself. She is coming into her own and realizing a lot of things that she likes to do. She has decided she would really like to pursue a career one day in biology. She loves science. She has discovered a lot about herself and what she likes doing.

Q.What have you gotten from this experience?

A.It feels good that I have somebody that I can mentor and learn from my experiences.
I have learned a lot about myself through this. When you're with somebody that is so young and has such a fresh plate, you have a lot of influence on that person. I think that you tend to want to be a better person and you realize what's important.