July 2012 Heroes
Blog
Every Interaction has an Impact
Continuing with our Aim Higher fellow blogs, below is a touching and personal piece from Rebecca James. Rebecca is interning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and helping create television segments for Wednesday’s Child. More than 700 children have found permanent loving families after being featured on the Wednesday’s Child television program. And who better to help create the program than one of our very own former foster youth! Rebecca’s story is below.
Having the chance to be a part of Foster Care to Success’ (FC2S) Aim Higher fellowship program has been a wonderful experience. I’ve had the opportunity to build a multitude of lasting relationships, especially with other fellows who were formerly in foster care like me.
As a student majoring in graphic design, I was very uncertain of what I should expect from the fellowship. I was confident that I would take away life experience from the placement, but am amazed at how much actual career experience I am getting as well! FC2S placed me in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) in the Child Welfare Department. They needed me to design graphic elements for the organization, attend meetings and conferences, operate phone interactions with potential foster and adoptive families, and help with Wednesday’s Child video shoots – a project that I’ve absolutely loved working on… Read More
Taking Washington, DC by Storm!
Over the next few weeks we’ll be featuring blog posts by our Aim Higher students. Below is a post from Katie on her exciting internship working for a member of Congress in Washington, DC!
My name is Katie and I am double majoring in biology and psychology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. I am set to graduate the spring of 2013. Foster Care to Success and the ETV program have allowed me to take advantage of this great opportunity. This summer I have been chosen to participate in FC2S’ Aim Higher Fellowship program with 18 other peers to take Washington, DC by storm. Im interning on Capitol Hill with the office of Senator Mark Udall from Colorado. This internship, while not obviously related to either of my fields, allows me to see firsthand some of the congressional processes of the issues I care most about. The legislative topics I have been hoping to learn about include; health care, foster care issues and education. When I graduate I want to work towards being a psychologist to help those who have gone through broken homes much like I did, and this internship has given me more of a drive to complete my future goals and has allowed me to mold each experience to fit those goals.
A Ripple Effect
We love it when the students we serve go on to serve others. And we really love it when they write us to let us know about the impact they’re making in the world. We recently got this email from a former student who received one of our scholarships. He’s using the degree he earned to help those in need. Here’s his letter:
I’d like to thank you and your team for all the support rendered to me while I was in school. I am now in the Republic of South Sudan. I came here last April 2011. In fact, I have been here for over a year. I am working for World Vision, South Sudan Program as a malaria project officer. Without your relentless support, I wouldn’t have had a chance to make a difference for children, expectant mothers and people with compromised health conditions in my country. Read More
Father’s Day and Foster Youth
Father’s Day can be an isolating time for foster youth. While thousands around the world are celebrating their paternal fathers, others are lamenting their permanent loss, remembering (sometimes bitterly) parents who are absent from their lives, or just trying to forget.
For those who have never experienced parental loss, it’s important to recognize that, just because you’re celebrating a good relationship (or any relationship) with your father, not everyone else is. And a question as simple as “So what are you doing for your dad on Sunday?” can trigger painful emotions in others.
Many foster youth are just happy to have someone in their life who cares about them: be it a teacher, older mentor or non-related caregiver. So this Father’s Day, let’s be thankful for the relationships we have, cognizant that others may be lacking those relationships, and sensitive to the sometimes nontraditional but equally important relationships that oftentimes comprise a big part of a foster youth’s support system.
Daring to Dream
Tremale J. Berger was born in 1986 in Torrance, California. He became a foster child when he was less than 6 months old, and was circulated through multiple homes before arriving at a stable housing situation at the age of two. He was extremely fortunate to have been placed with a foster mother who treated him as her own and pushed him to the limits so that he could be someone in life. As Tremale puts it, she never let him subscribe to debilitating notions of victimhood, demanded excellence from him and encouraged him to dream. In May of 2008, with the help of FC2S, Tremale graduated from The Catholic University of America with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture. His dreams didn’t end there, however.
Tremale realized that he had a gift for motivational public speaking after delivering his first speech at a 2008 graduation ceremony at Walt Disney Concert Hall – an event to celebrate the accomplishments of former foster youth on their way to college. After receiving nothing but amazing feedback for his speaking skills, Tremale is now pursuing motivational speaking full-time. Check out Tremale (above) on the power of imagination and daring to dream, as he answers questions like: “Why do we try so hard to fight in life, to achieve a dream?” and how can we use confidence and discipline to overcome temporary setbacks and move forward in life?
Inspiring the Next Generation of Nurses
Meet Sarah Ali – one of our Casey Family Scholars. Sarah was in our undergrad program from 2004-2008 before joining our graduate program and just this month receiving her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of Minnesota. What’s more, Sarah has been featured on the cover of Minnesota Nursing magazine! We were so psyched when we found out that we asked her to share her thoughts. This is what she had to say:
“Where I am today can directly connected to those people that stood by me, behind me some days, and even in front of me as they dragged me through the rough points of the education journey. I’ve been blessed with FC2S’ omnipresent mentoring. And with a young family the financial support was so important! Today I have really arrived in more than one way. I am the mother of two beautiful, bubbly little ones and the wife of my best friend forever. I have achieved my lifelong career and educational goals by completing my doctorate, and I have recently accepted a position at Mayo Clinic as a Trauma Nurse Practitioner! So, my FC2S family, I am so very thankful for the perseverance, caring, and even nagging that you’ve bestowed upon me over the years…it HAS REALLY made a DIFFERENCE!”
Thanks Sarah. We’ll save the nagging for the next crop of students now. ; )
So You Think You Can Dance?
Meet FC2S student Scott Marzette, (B.A. Jacksonville State University 2012) a finalist on BET’s national Lens on Talent dance show competition. Scott was described by Lens on Talent host radio and television personality Free as “a dancer who is used to beating the odds.” Scott hopes the passion and joy inherent in his dancing will inspire others to learn more about the adversity he’s overcome as a foster child.
His story begins around the 10 minute mark.
June 2012 Heroes
June’s heroes are Victor and Connie Erlacher. The Erlachers have fostered more than 50 children and teens over the last 30 years. Find out more! Read More
FC2S Students on CNN!
Caroline James, 23, and Sean Hudson, 22 were recently featured on CNN. They both entered care at age 11, they both attend the University of Alabama, and they both receive support through Foster Care to Success. Sean is a Social Work major with a 3.7 GPA, and Caroline double majors in Communications and Psychology with a 3.8 GPA. Thanks to CNN for highlighting successful foster youth!
Hear their stories:
