Last week the fifth of five Family & Youth Initiative high school seniors graduated from high school. Only one of the five attended the same high school for all four years. Two of them attended five high schools each.
Bouncing between schools is an important reason but just one of the reasons children in foster care graduate high school at a much lower rate than their non-foster care peers.
Recently I had a conversation with a DCFYI teen who is diligently looking for a job. Like most recent high school graduates she has some but not much work experience. She feels like she is doing the right things but they haven't led to employment and she is frustrated.
We talked about strategies and tasks (and not giving up) and then she said: "I just want someone to look at how hard I'm trying and say 'I'll take a chance and give her a job.' Is that too much to expect?"
“Never underestimate the difference YOU can make in the lives of others--”-Pablo
I know I talk a lot about the difference one person can make in a teen’s life, and it may sound kind of corny, but it’s true. One person can truly make a significant impact on another person’s life and to help persuade you I came prepared with quotes, an old folk tale, as well as facts and an example.
