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Meet The Bright Faces of REACH

Greetings world! 

This year, we have been working with about 14 students in San Francisco with 5 consistant female mentors. We have turned REACH into a mentoring weekend program and we do activities and programs every other weekend. We hosted a spring fitness 10 week program, and a summer art program successfully so far. All in addition to going to the movies, working on college essays, and more!  

As you begin to go shopping this year, we ask that you consider "adopting" or "co-adopting" one of our students to make their holiday so eventful! They have personally requested these items, but our program is not in a position financially to assist in this department. 

Keary is a talented, straight A musician who is asking for a laptop computer so she can do homework on her 2-hour (each way) commute to high school and for college! She just submitted 17 applications for college, including Harvard. Jasmine was raised by a single mom in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing. Single Room Occupancy is basically one standard sized room, closet, and bathroom. The other residents were drug dealers, prostitutes, alcoholics and they were loud and disruptive at all hours of the night. After years of complaints, she was removed from her mom's care and placed in emergency foster care.

Nicole has been in foster care for more than seven years, separated from her siblings the entire time. Nichole isn’t even sure if her brothers and sisters know about her, and she wants to use her senior photography thesis to bring her family together. This year, she is asking for a professional camera. 

Daniel: "As a ten year old in my first group home, I remember daydreaming about being powerful enough to do something for the kids I had grown to know so well. That Christmas, everyone had a visit from someone, but me. Today I am a mentor to foster youth in my area, and have earned a position on the Foster Care Alumni of America Committee. The next time I am in family court, it won't be as a powerless youngster, but as a legal advocate to the next generation of underprivileged youth. With that dream in reach, I am not without impediments to my educational trajectory. After two years as an honors student and a 3.9 GPA, I have been accepted to a University far from my home. Without a car, it will be very difficult to commute to this campus. My goal is to have a car of my own, which will assist me in launching my career as a practicing civil rights attorney, and blazing a trail for the future foster youth, who deserve to know that their dreams can become goals, and with a bit of help, those goals will become reality."

  Steph: "I was born with a paranoid schizophrenic mom. My mom wouldn't take me to school and we moved every few months. She took me away from my dad, an alcoholic, by putting a knife against his throat and saying "If I can't leave and take Steph with me, I will kill you." She physically and emotionally abused me. I was then put into the foster care system. I tried my best to excel in school, but it is hard with the lack of education because of no foundation I had, until the eighth grade. My hope and inspiration is that through education I can have the power to accomplish my dreams, and in bettering myself and loved ones. I have maintained a 3.2 GPA. Throughout high school I have done clubs such as Glee Club, Red Cross, Gay Straight Alliance and the Tutor Club. I have great artistic ability. After school I volunteer my time as a daycare assistant as a way to give back to the community. I aspire to go to a UC and major in graphic design, psychology, or international studies. Having a laptop computer is essential to furthering my education.

Jennifer: "At age 2, I was placed into foster care with a loving family. While I never got a chance to be placed back with my biological family, I still feel blessed to be in a home that loves and supports me. I live with just my foster, now adoptive mother. unfortunately my foster/adoptive father passed away with cancer when I was 9. Right now, I am in high school, and earning good grades has never been easy. However, right now, I have a 3.59 GPA and aspire to go college. Right now, I want to go to UCSD, UCLA, or UCSF. This is my dream. I want to succeed and beat the odds that I know are against me. I am the only child left in my family that still lives with my mom, and I really want to make her proud. Unfortunately, since my foster adoptive father passed, my mom is now on social security and is a widow with very little help. Money is tight at home, so I work a couple of hours a week to buy my necessities for school and for home.  I went to the dentist this month, and the dentist informed me and my mother that I need to have all four wisdom teeth (that are impacted in my mouth), removed. While this sounds painful to have this surgery done, it is more painful keeping them in right now. It is imperative that I seek professional help from a dentist to have these removed. Unfortunately our insurance from the government will not cover this procedure. This procedure in total is $1,850, and this Christmas, I would like to save enough from working after school to get this procedure done with your help."

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Foster Parent’s Perspective on Fostering a Life

Foster Parent’s Perspective on Fostering a Life by Kim Snodgrass, REACH Founder

On October 20th, I flew out from San Francisco, California to speak to the Pennsylvania State Resource Family Association about what it means to break down the word foster and how we as caretakers can bridge the education gap for all children. Below is what our audience collectively shared.

Things that worked well for parents as a child/teenageer growing up:

Support network and family

Never giving up

Being consistent

Love unconditionally (Agape)

Having compassion

Prayer

Going all in on a challenge

Building self confidence by affirmation from others

Having adults come to events, concerts, or graduation ceremonies showing support

Sense of humor, laughter

Conversation

Being pushed in the right direction even though at the time it did not feel like it

Setting goals with an adult

Create a timeline with a “things to do” list

Raised to believe “I can do this”

Things that parents can do that work well for children/teenagers in foster homes:

Praise

Emotional, social, and physical support

Giving youth a voice

Validate feelings (but not comparing the adult’s feelings)

Believing in them by example, not just by words.

Expression that you care. Show them.

Coach them to have a vision and see their goals (Helps to write them down and check in every week or two weeks to see where they are on their goals)

Communication

Consistency

Structure

Stability

Discipline

Learning to trust

Being non judgemental

Confidentiality

Staying positive

Being assertive as parents

Promoting graduation and success

Promoting and leading by example by what it means to be a successful adult

Understand that every child learns differently, and it takes promoting and encouraging alternative learning approaches

Stability after care- a place to go after foster care, during the holidays, during college

Use concrete examples with children and never theory. Show them what the examples look like.

Advocate for children that do not have a voice.

Willingness to change

Giving routine and structure to all children

Knowing that it’s never too late

Showing them a sense of belonging and being there for them no matter what

College tours

Giving children a network, sharing contacts that may be able to help them to get a job or apply to college

[reach4u-blog]

REACH Art Retreat with Lorraine Lawson

This summer REACH gave teen girls in foster care the opportunity to express themselves and explore their creativity at Lorraine Lawson's art studio in Campbell, Ca.

We are very thankful that Lorraine Lawson allowed us to use her studio and that she was kind enough to offer us guidance in creating our masterpieces. She went around the studio giving us advice on how to create the things we imagined in our minds for our paintings. She provided a bunch of materials for us to use like maps, music sheets, magazines, quotes from books, and so much more. With all those materials and tips from Lorraine, the power of the participant's right noggins roamed free.

One of the things that was helpful in creating these pieces was the conversation and introduction we had at the beginning of the session. Lorraine asked us all to think of the three things that inspire us. Many of the girls said music, traveling, and the people that they love inspired them. All the participants awed us with their artist talent this summer. Check out our slide show below of all the art pieces we created this summer.

For more information about how to get involved with REACH or how to participate in our program visit www.reachforyou.org or visit the REACH Facebook.

Interested in taking a class at Lorraine Lawson's Studio? Visit her website: http://onefineartist.com/

[reach4u-blog]

Summer Fun with the Girlies

Research shows that girls and young women need supportive relationships in order to thrive. REACH is designed to do just that! 

This month, July 2012, has been dedicated to bringing the young women who participated in our REACH Curves Fitness Program together and strengthen the bond we builded during those amazing eight weeks. 

One of the most random, but turned out to be really awesome, adventure we had as a group was last weekend's outing to downtown Los Altos, CA. Where the heck is that you ask?  It is a small town in Silicon Valley. Our intention was to get together and do something fun like get dinner and a movie, but when we got to our destination, the entire downtown was closed off to set up a wine and art festival the following day! The streets were practically empty and everything was closed except for a few cafes.

Many people would have called it quits and gone home. But not us! We saw this as an opportunity for a ton of fun to happen. We took out our cameras and owned the streets!  We turned these empty streets into our stage, and had a mini photo shoot capturing a lovely summer evening. 

After exploring this empty downtown, we found a nail salon open. The coolest thing about it was that we had the salon to ourselves. It felt like we had a V.I.P. nail art party without expecting it! All the girls got to choose thier nail polish color and got manicures. We didn't have that dinner and movie experience that we wanted due to things that were out of our control, but we ended up having a better time because of it. Getting manicures done gave us a better opportunity to catch up, bond, and learn more about the girls.

Part of mentoring a specific cohort like this one, is consistency and communication. At REACH we strive to nurture relationships that we build with our students and mentors through consistency and communication. After this outing, we found that the girls were more comfortable interacting with all of the group members. When we first meet some of the ladies, a few of them were very shy. When we meet again, those girls were more talkative and engaged. We are proud to see that there have been improvement in the girls self esteem and social interactions. Girl Power!

For more information about REACH or if you are interested in joining us visit our website www.reachforyou.org or Like us on REACH's Facebook to join the fun! 

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Scholarships and Higher Education:

It is devastating to know that 46% of foster youth will not complete high school and only 1% earn college degrees. Despite the fact that foster children are in less fortunate situations, there are grants and scholarships awarded yearly to encourage and support educational success and advancement.

To get started, view the following websites: 1.http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/foster 2. http://www.finaid.org/ 3. http://schoolscholarships.org/foster-children-scholarships-for-a-brighter-future 4.http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/postadoption/assistance/college.cfm 5.http://sparkaction.org/resources/http://www.orphan.org/index.php?id=30 6.http://www.childrensactionnetwork.org/scholarship.htm 7. http://www.kimsnodgrass.com/Kim/College_Prep.html Tips: -Begin looking into scholarships and colleges or universities to attend within your Sophomore and Junior year of high school.  -Contact potential schools for information on programs offered and academic requirements. -Have a point of contact or a counselor from high school and the college/university guide you through the process of high education admittance into the institution of your choice.  -Throughout your senior year of high school, make sure you are on target to graduate and you are completing the requirements necessary for admittance into the college or university of your choice.  -Seek a college mentor who will add to and encourage your academic success and completion

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Sign Up For The REACH Fine Arts Retreat!

  About the REACH Fine Art Retreat

Who is interested in exploring their creative side this summer 2012? You are in luck because REACH is providing that opportunity for you this summer! There will be TWO sessions starting in July each on a Sunday for three hours where you will have a chance to work side by side Lorraine Lawson, a famous fine artist, in her studio. How cool is that?

This is a unique opportunity to tell your life story, share your opinions, and express your self in a healthy way using art and multimedia. Here at REACH we are non judgmental and we encourage everyone to just keep an open mind and to be respectful. This program is meant to serve youth in foster care or former foster care youth in order to give them the same opportunities to succeed in the future. 

The two sessions are going on:

Sunday July 8th and Sunday July 22nd from 12-3pm. You must commit two both dates in order to participate in this program. The sessions will be held at 535 Salmar Ave Suite E, Campbell CA.

How to sign up:

With that said, sign up today! Its Free! All you have to do is email us your name and contact information and a sentence about why you are interested in joining. Our email is [email protected] and our phone number is 408-357-3224.

For more information about Lorraine Lawson visit http://onefineartist.com

Stay up to date with us about this program by following us on twitter @reachforyou #REACHart or on Facbook.

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END OF THE YEAR CEREMONY

Last Saturday, May 19th, 2012, was the End of the Year Ceremony for the REACH GIRLS ONLY Fitness Program! We are so proud of our students who are making a change within themselves and in the community.

Despite waking up early on Saturday mornings to meet the girls at Curves in San Carlos, it was all worth it because of moments like this one captured in this video. There smiles and laughter is what warms my heart and I would do anything to see them succeed. I have meet some really amazing people through REACH. All of the girls that I have talked to at this program have so many great ideas, some on the creative side like underwater photography others on the more down to earth ideas like prepping for college, nonetheless, its inspiring.

There are a bunch of programs in the works to nurture our creative bone and workshops to help the girls meet their academic goals. Stay tune for news about theses programs!

For more information about REACH and what we do to serve youth in foster care please visit our website www.reachforyou.org

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Hey World, May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, if you didnt know already! We have an EASY way for you to virtually make a difference! Please take a moment to "Like" our new page. https://www.facebook.com/REACHforyou Oh, yah, if you have a Twitter, follow us @reachforu http://twitter.com/#!/reachforu

REACH is behind creating successful youth in the foster care system all over the U.S. Run by former foster youth too! Thanks so much for your support!

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May is National Foster Care Month. Get the facts. - There are approximately 424,000 children in out of home placements in the United States foster care system. - Each year about 20,000 young people age out of foster care. Many are only 18 years old and still need support and services. - 1,200 children enter foster care each day and remain there, on average, for more than two years. - 126,000 children are currently legally free for adoption. You can find out more about these children at www.adoptuskids.org How do you help nearly half a million kids? Start with One. Join REACH in making a difference in the lives of teens in foster care by participating in our fundraiser! As a nonprofit organizations we rely on donations year around to make it possible to run programs like the REACH Fitness program which promotes healthy living through fitness and nutrition. We are selling colorful sweatbands to raise money for the next REACH fitness program. 

Here is how to get a sweatband: visit our homepage www.reachforyou.org

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Reminders for the Next REACH Session 5/5/12

Hey Ladies! We are so proud of you for making it this far in our program! You guys rock! Here are some things we want to share with you about things to look forward to in the next couple of weeks: 1. REACH Promo Video Shoot Happening this Saturday May 5th! Wear the work out gear REACH gave you. Also think about the following because we are going to ask for your opinion: Why should other girls join our program? And what your favorite moments at REACH have been? Remember this is going to be FUN! 2. Measuring Time We are getting our final measurements this Saturday May 5th so keep in mind some of the tips we learned at Curves: Stay hydrated by drinking 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water EAT small snacks EVERY THREE HOURS 3. REACH Dinner Ceremony  Will be in two and half weeks from now on Sat May 19th so save the date! We also will be going to see the Peninsula Symphony! http://www.peninsulasymphony.org/all-concerts.php We have an event flyer on our FB with more info!

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REACH Sweat Band Fundraiser

Interested in making a difference in the lives of teens in foster care? Here is your chance! Buying a REACH sweat band for $7 bucks, not only will make it possible for more teens to participate in our Girls Fitness Program, but you will also turn heads at the gym rocking a REACH sweat band! Click here to buy a sweat band!

Find us on Facebook and tell us you want a sweat band: Click here

REACH's Fitness Program: What We Do 

Our vision at Realizing Every Action Creates Hope, or REACH, is to improve the lives of foster children in America, who often find themselves neglected and forgotten by the public. In the effort to make our vision a reality, REACH has teamed up with Curves gym to launch a FREE eight week Girls Only Fitness Program for young ladies in foster care or in the process of transitioning out of foster care from ages 12-25 in California.  The REACH CURVES Girls Fitness Program has provided a safe environment for our girls to learn about good health through fitness and nutrition while having tons of fun along the way. Our passionate volunteers have made it possible for REACH to provide countless learning opportunities for the girls through our core values. We expect our girls to learn and uphold our core values like Respect, Effort, Appreciation, Compassion, and Honor, not only for their success in our program, but also for their success in living a positive and fulfilling life.

Join REACH In Providing Positive Experiences For Teens In Foster Care 

Donate $7 dollars to REACH and get your REACH sweat band in the mail in a flash! If you buy 10 sweat bands, you can get one FREE! Click here to get your sweat bands today! 

Every action matters. No matter how big or how small.  

Please SHARE the flyer above on Facebook or Twitter.

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REACH Curves Program Survey

Ladies in our Girls Only Fitness Program please print this survey and fill it out. Copying  and pasting this survey onto an email is okay too! Just as long as this survey is completed and turned in by our NEXT Session Sat, April 7, 2012 at 12pm! 

For those who want to email us this survey our email is [email protected] or [email protected]

Name: Age: City you live in:

1. How often do you exercise? (Circle or highlight by bolding option you choose)

a. 0-1 time a week  b. 2-3 times a week  c. 4-5 times a week  d. More than 5x a week  e. Never

3. Why do you want to workout? (Circle or highlight) a. Improve the tone of your body to improve your self confidence b. Maintain a healthy and energetic body c. Lose weight d. Improve health problems

4. How comfortable are you working out? (Circle or highlight) a. Very comfortable b. Comfortable c. Not so comfortable

5. Would you say you have a healthy diet? (Circle or highlight)

a. Yes b. Sometimes c. No

6. What motivates you to keep going on days where you don’t feel like working out?

7. What is BMI and why is it important? 

8. What do you know about nutrition?

9. What do you want to learn about nutrition?

10. What do you want to learn about physical fitness?

11. How much water should you drink per day? 

12. How many calories should a woman eat per day? 

13. What do you want REACH Curves to teach you for this girl's only program? 

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First Day of the Girls Fitness Program at Curves!

It was raining cats and dogs on Saturday, but that didn’t stop our girls from showing up to work out with us at Curves in San Carlos, Ca. Now thats what I call dedication! We are so excited to have such a committed bunch who are enthusiastic about learning the ropes around physical fitness for eight weeks.

Brief Highlights:

We started the day with the most important thing: getting the ladies ready to work out in style! Getting them geared up with fitness attire and running shoes was probably the one of the many highlights of the day. Along with seeing the girls smile about with their new workout clothes, getting to finally meet our beautiful participants and meet the amazing fitness instructors at Curves was another highlight. The instructor’s wide range of knowledge about health and fitness made taking our measurements and BMI’s nightmare-free. It was magical! The rest of afternoon consisted of getting our hearts pumping and working with the Curves fitness instructors who did an excellent job at teaching us how to use the machines properly. One student said, “I never knew that I should care about what is on a nutrition label, but now I see why!” Overall, everyone gave their 100%. Lets keep that up, ladies!

Reminders For Next Session:

There is no session this Sat, March 31st. The next session will be April 7th at 12pm-1pm As a substitute for our session we are having a CONTEST! Who ever post the most creative video, picture or blog about nutrition or fitness on our Facebook wall or our Tumblr blog gets a to win a gift card! Deadline is this Sunday, April 1st!

If you don’t have a Facebook, don't sweat! Email Kim and Victoria at: [email protected] and [email protected]. Piece of cake!

One more reminder, I promise! Please turn in the REACH Survey by the next session April 7th! Turn survey in by email or in person. Thanks bundles! Things To Look Forward To:

Getting our Curve’s Tank Tops! Learning Zumba Learning Yoga with Danielle Mastering the Curves Machines Getting fit and making friends

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Getting Started: Making College Happen

By: Victoria Jimenez, REACH Marketing Intern

Background Image: Steven Harris 

How many times have you read or heard someone say the following: Youth in foster care are 44% less likely to graduate from high school and after emancipation, 40 to 50 percent never complete high school. Or only two percent of youth in foster care in the United States obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher? (Source: Foster Care Alumni of America)

I know, I am tired of constantly reading those statistics. I understand that statistic serve an educational purpose and a tool to prove that certain services are needed, but at the same time, theses statistics can unconsciously create negative expectations about youth in foster care, stigmatizes them, and could often discourage them to pursue higher education. I know this is not meant to be an intentional strike against them, so instead of letting theses statistics get to us, lets grab them by the horns and stop letting them define youth in foster care.  

With the help of REACH, I have made a list of ways youth could begin thinking about pursuing  higher education. To start, we must use theses statistics as a motivation to break the cycle of this behavior. Society can try to anticipate your success or failure based on numbers, but you have the power to change your life. With guidance anything is possible!  Also, realizing that you are worthwhile valuable individual, is the a good place to begin to take control of your life. Despite what others have said in the past, you deserve and owe it to yourself to let best you shine. Here are some key points you can think about for motivation.

“Knowledge is Power!”

Aim high, go to college. Even though it may seem overwhelming and challenging to go to college, keep in mind that this experience will help you get more job opportunities, make more money, gain more knowledge, and secure your future. For foster youth, I realize that even if you have all the desire to go to college, life puts big hurdles in the way of that. You have to remember not to give up on your dreams. Going to college will help you make better educated decision about things that affect your life and give you the power to fight for your rights.  If you feel stuck ask for help. At REACH, we are here to offer as much help as you need to get you on the road to a better life. Send us an email, join our program. Visit Realizing Every Action Creates Hope's Website for more information.

Consider What You Want To Do

Now that you’ve decided to not give up on your dreams. Decide what you want to do. Don’t know what that is yet? That is completely okay! To get a better idea of what you want to do, make a list of your favorite classes in school. Which classes do you enjoy the most? Which do you excel at? Consider your personality too. Are you outgoing or reserved? Are you more creatively driven? Are you good at art? Music? Writing? Math?Science? Do you like working independently or on a team? Do you enjoy helping other solve problems? Do you like to train people? Theses are just a few of the many questions you should ask yourself to help you decide what major or career is best for you. Take a self assessment test to help you find out what you want to study in college to prep you for your future career. Here is one of many test you can take to find your passion: Career Test.

Prepare in Advance

Everyone is at different levels and places in their life. Some may be on the way to high school, not finished high school, getting their GED, not too sure how to pursue getting the GED. The spectrum is wide as you can imagine, but I want to focus on courses you’ll need to take in high school. 

Image by: California Education Round Table

As easy as that sounds..... there are some more requirements you should take note of. The famous SAT’s and ACT’s tests! I know those tests are not the most exciting part of high school, but it is very important that this gets done. The good news is that you don’t have to take both. You could either take the SAT’s or the ACT. For more information on how to prepare for theses tests check out reachforyou.org/college-prep. Also it’s worth checking out what requirements each university ask for. The chart below from the California Education Round Table should give you a better idea of what to expect.  If you plan on going to school out of CA, visit the university website you are interested in and find out what their requirements are.

Image by: California Education Round Table

Applying for College

Applying for college can be daunting, but don’t let that discourage you. Stay positive. The most important tip to absorb is turn in your application early. The essay, recommendation letters, and transcripts should all be in at least two weeks earlier than the deadline. Some parts of the application require that you send things over snail mail, so you should factor in the time it takes to mail things. Another important part about this process is stay organized! Keep a calendar of all the college related deadlines like SAT test dates and registration dates, early admission date (this is typically in November of your senior year), Financial Aid application date, etc. Documents you need to apply are: your social security number, high school code, high school transcripts, and your SAT/ACT scores.

Cash Money$ for College

Good news! Youth in foster care are eligible for different types of financial aid including federal aid, scholarships, fee waivers and grants. So why not go to college, right? The first place to start is by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FASFA. This is the universal application that the state, federal government, and colleges use to determine how much aid you will receive. The easiest way to fill it out is by visiting www.fasfa.gov. If you need help filling this application talk to your guidance counselor at school or attend a REACH financial aid workshop! There is a financial aid web worksheet you could work on too that is helpful. This worksheet will help you gather all the information you need ahead of time, that way when January 1st comes along and it is time to fill out the FASFA, you will have all the information in front of you. Click this link for FASFA Worksheet!

More College Resources

Were you a Foster Child? For the over half a million foster children in the United States*, paying for college might seem an insurmountable challenge. Fortunately, there are a number of scholarships available to help underwrite the education of young people who are or have been in the American foster care system. (* Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, 2006)

REACH Scholarship

http://www.reachforyou.org/scholarship.shtml 

Foster Youth Alliance Scholarship

http://fosteryouthalliance.org/?p=7405

Guardian Program at San Francisco State 

http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/2012/spring/38.html

Chafee Grant for Foster Youth

http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=936

Casey Family Scholars Program Since 2000, Foster Care to Success has administered nearly $1M in scholarship funding annually for Seattle-based Casey Family Programs. Close to 500 Casey Family Scholars have graduated and entered the workforce or gone on to postgraduate studies since 2001. Click here for eligibility requirements and to apply.

Dorothy and Robert DeBolt Scholarship 

Application Deadlines: June 09, Annually. AASK (Adopt A Special Kid) will award its annual scholarship in recognition of the value of independence and learning held by AASK’s founders, Dorothy and Robert DeBolt. The DeBolt Scholarship will be awarded to a youth who has been adopted after being in foster care in California. The applicant must be a California resident at the time of application and must have been accepted for admission to [...] More

The Darko Rapotez Memorial College Scholarship Fund for Aged Out Foster Youth offers between $5,000 and $10,000 in college and tuition fee assistance to children who have “aged out” of the foster care system. However, the price of books, housing, transportation, and other higher-education-related costs are not covered. Recipients can be between the ages of 18 and 24 and may come from anywhere in the United States as long as their high school GPA has been 3.0 or higher.

Horatio Alger Scholarship If you’re a high school senior in foster care, you can apply in the autumn yearly.This program awards between $2,500 and $10,000 per student; monies can be used to pursue a bachelor’s degree at any accredited American college or university. 

The Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) Scholarship annually gives amounts between $500 and $5000 to current or former foster youths who are planning on furthering their education via academic or vocational training. Any unmarried U.S. foster children with a cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.0 and who are under the age of 25 may apply.

The National Scholarship Fund for foster children awards between $1,500 and $10,000 to foster youth, former foster youth under 25, and orphans to be used in any state for training after high school. Click here for more information.

Foster Child Tuition Waiver Program: Massachusetts

This state also offers a Foster Child Tuition Waiver Program, entitling free tuition to any of the 29 Massachusetts state/community colleges and universities to foster children who receive approval. Applicants must be between the ages of 17-24, must have been in foster care for at least one year (in response to a Care and Protection petition), and must agree to contribute to their higher education expenses via a work-study program. Click here for more information

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7 Ways to Put You on the Road Towards a More Empowered Woman

By: Victoria Jimenez, REACH Intern

In the the spirit of Women’s History Month, I got inspired to write about different ways to boost the self esteem of young ladies in foster care. We at REACH, Realizing Every Action Creates Hope, recognize that young women in foster care or in the process of transitioning out of foster care are in a unique position. Apart from the struggles they face systematically by virtue of being female, they carry a burden from their past that deal with abuse, neglect, and abandonment. They don’t always have someone to talk to or a safety net to count on when things go wrong. Because they don’t always have a safety net, they do what they need to do to survive. As a result, they often experience early pregnancy, homelessness, unhealthy relationships, and leave their education on the back burner. Everyone has a unique story and all stories are complicated in their own way, but our message to all young women in foster care is the same. You are not alone. You have the right to say no. You deserve respect. And most importantly, don’t limit yourself. On behalf of REACH, I want to share 7 ways to deal with stress and self image in a healthy way. 1. Know your Worth Even though it may seem that you are not in control of your life, you have the choice and courage to change your life for the better. You are the boss of you, so YOU are the one that gets to make the decisions about your life. Not someone else. You are the one that gets to decided when to have kids. Women are not childbearing machines! We are beyond that. We are capable of so many things and be what we want to be. Everyone was born to do something great, its up to you to find the will to make it happen. Concentrate on things you do best to gain strength in your abilities. And don’t say that you don’t do anything well because its not true. Which brings me to my next point. 2. Be Nice to Yourself! Everyone has self chatter. Sometimes it could be positive or negative and everything in between. When it comes to negative self talk it is important to be aware of it. With awareness one can take action and turn it around. You have to remember to be patient with yourself when you are battling a task. No one is instantly good at what they do and no one is perfect. If other people said what you say to your self like “I cant believe I just did that! I’m such an idiot!” wouldn’t you be hurt by that? I would be really hurt if someone else called me an idiot so why is it okay for you to say that to yourself? Be kind to yourself and be patient. Being kind to yourself also requires listening.  3. Listen Take a moment to check in with yourself. Are you content with what you are doing and where you are in life? If not what are some steps you can take to be where you want to be? Its important to take a second or two to listen to your inner self because with all the challenges we face just growing up, our emotional health is often left on the side lines. Checking in with yourself and learning that you are dissatisfied is a good motivation to seek help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. 4. Write Write in a journal. Often times writing will help you sort out your thoughts and relieve your stress. It will help you communicate your feelings, concerns, and doubts to your friend or mentor better.  If you choose to talk to someone about your problem, writing it down can help you find out how you got to that point of frustration and how to approach the problem when it arises again. 5. Exercise for Fun I’m sure you have heard that exercise is a good stress reliever and its true. Your body needs exercise and real foods. Take walks, dance in your room, go for a bike ride, garden, you will be surprised how satisfying it is to pull weeds… anyway, just try to get your heart pumping. You may lose weight and you may not, but your body will be stronger, you will be less stressed, and you’ll feel better. If you don’t feel motivated to exercises on your own join our Girls only Curves program! Check us out at www.reachforyou.org/events

6. Exercise the Mind Don’t give up on your education. I know that life throws you lemons sometimes, but why not make those sour lemons into sweet lemonade! Those sour lemons don’t turn sweet on their own. You got to put some love and work into it. There are many ways to get back into the groove of things when it comes your education. Even if you think you didn’t get the best grades in school, didn’t graduate from high school, or get your GED. You could still go to college. For most community colleges you have to at least be 18 to attend and from there you could transfer to a four year university. Plus, there is financial aid and scholarships available for youth in foster care. At REACH we try to help eliminate all barriers that might come up when pursing higher education. For more information about our scholarship program check out www.reachforyou.org/scholarship 7. Be a Role Model Set the example. Help others. Join an organization. Teach someone something. Giving back and giving someone else hope is a healthy way to bring joy to your life because at the end of the day, you are helping change the world. That is something to be proud of. You don’t have to be a superhero to inspire people. Sharing your story or even making the choice to help someone else is already hero-like. I have been lucky to come across so many talented ladies at REACH. A lot of them having been in foster care have gone and done incredible things like go to college or get theses amazing jobs. If they can do it, so can you! All in all, the way we deal with the stresses in our life is key because it can really impact the way we see the world and our position in it. Stress is inevitable, but by exercising your mind, body, and soul, stress can be managed in a healthy way.

Share with us how you deal with stress. We want to hear from you! Shoot us an email at [email protected] or Like us on Facebook to post a comment facebook.com/REACHforyou

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REACH Leadership and Mentor Intern Scholarship: We are currently taking applications for California and Boston residents that are currently or formerly in foster care and on their way to college. Given that we fully support our youth that have ambition to attend college, we believe that a scholarship takes down one less barrier for them to thrive. If you qualify, or know of someone that qualifies, feel free to download the scholarship link, and apply. 

Requirements:  • Foster Care Experience • Accepted or Enrolled in college • Willing to “give back” to mentor other foster youth in the REACH program for 2-4 hours per month.  Available Scholarships Amounts (depending on financial need): $250-$1,000  All applications should be scanned and e-mailed to: [email protected] Scholarship Application Link: Here

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Forward Advocacy is an educational awareness video designed to advocate and raise awareness about foster youth and former foster youth in America about their educational pathways. This was accomplished via professional and personal stories in regards to the risk and protective factors that inevitably come with being in foster care. This movement is going to take place in a series of topics! Learn more at www.kimsnodgrass.com