May 5, 2017
I went to 12 different schools growing up, including 4 different high schools. I did graduate high school though and immediately enrolled in a trade school to become a LPN – a Licensed Practical Nurse. Three weeks into attending trade school, I aged out of foster care and lost my housing. I became homeless at 18. At that point, just surviving day to day took priority over my education. I didn’t have a choice but to drop out. I’m part of that 96% of foster alumni who don’t get a college degree. Luckily, when I was 19, a great opportunity came my way to work for an organization called FosterClub. It’s an amazing organization that helps effect change for future generations of foster youth. If you had asked me when I was young what I would be doing as an adult, being a Foster Youth Advocate was NOT my aspiration. I wanted to run away from that life and never look back. But I am who I am. I can’t hide from it. I’ll always be a foster kid.
Published on May 5, 2017 as part of Children’s Rights’ “Fostering the Future” campaign. The opinions expressed herein are those of the blog author and do not necessarily represent the views of Children’s Rights or its employees. Children’s Rights has not verified the author’s account.