FORMER FOSTER CARE YOUTH PARTICIPANTS

TERRY HARRAK, 19 (SPEAKER)
Alexandria, VA

Terry entered foster care at the age of 16 after spending several months on her own with no family support. At the age of 18, having just started her senior year of high school, Terry emancipated from foster care with no job or place to live. Despite becoming homeless, she continued to attend school full time while staying at friends' homes, teachers' homes, metro terminals, and hospital emergency rooms. Terry graduated from high school in June of 1998 and became a participant in the Living Independently for Tomorrow (LIFT) program of Residential Youth Services in Alexandria, Virginia, which has provided her with critical services and a place to live. Terry is currently working and attends a local community college.

Established in 1991 as a Transitional Living Program for Homeless Youth, LIFT provides housing, life skills, education and employment support. Youth in the program live in apartments, participate in individual and group life skills instruction, receive counseling from caring staff, and are helped to achieve educational and employment goals.

Contact: Dr. Vera Jackson, Living Independently for Tomorrow Program (703) 548-8334

JOHN GUTIERREZ, 19 (SPEAKER)
Culver City, California

John was in foster care from the age of 12. He has lived in group homes, one foster home and in Los Angeles County's 24-hour emergency shelter for foster youth. John has no family. During the course of his high school career, John attended eight different schools and in the beginning, was known to get into trouble. Then, at the age of 17, John decided to turn his life around. By graduation, John had a 3.0 grade point average and is currently studying Art at Santa Monica City College. John holds two part-time jobs: one as an administrative assistant at a law firm and another as a teacher's aide at a middle school. At the age of 19, John is preparing to leave the transitional housing in which he currently lives to move to an apartment of his own.

John credits his two group home counselors, his girlfriend, and now his independent living social worker through United Friends of the Children Bridges, with making the difference in his life. United Friends of the Children Bridges provides transitional housing with support services, employment preparation and placement assistance.

Contact: Clare Faulkner, United Friends of the Children Bridges (310) 338-3646

ANALEAH CHARLES, 18
New York, New York

Analeah is a young adult in the care of New York City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS). In March of 1998, Analeah came into foster care as a voluntary placement and became a resident of a city-operated boarding house. Analeah soon began to participate in ACS's Independent Living (IL) Program and is currently an active member of the Program's Peer Leadership Council. With support from the program, Analeah has excelled academically. Determined to finish her high school education at her Catholic school, she secured a partial scholarship and pays the rest of her tuition with earnings from a part time job. Analeah plans to attend college and has participated in the IL Programs' SAT preparation and college application tutorials.

The Independent Living (IL) Program, sponsored by Administration for Children's Services of New York, assists foster care youth in their transition to adulthood. The Independent Living Program trains foster youth in the life skills they need to survive, and offers them assistance in pursuing their education, seeking employment, and locating safe and affordable housing.

Contact: Leonora Wiener, Administration for Children's Services of New York (212) 266-2100

MARGARET DUARTE, 22
Tucson, Arizona

Margaret was in foster care from the age of five. Graduating fifth in her high school class, Margaret was offered several college scholarships and decided to attend the University of Arizona where she plans to graduate with a degree in finance and accounting this May. In order to give back to her community, Margaret volunteers at the Casa de los Ninos crisis shelter, a residential facility that provides shelter to abused and neglected children. Although she has lived on her own since high school, Margaret maintains a strong relationship with her foster mother who cared for her since she was eight.

Casey Family Services helped a great deal in Margaret's transition to college and adulthood. They provided her with necessary resources, included her in workshops on independent living, budgeting and finance, and taught her how to control and deal with anger. Casey also provided Margaret with a college scholarship throughout her five years of post secondary education.

Contact: Maureen Andrews, The Casey Family Program (520) 323-0886 x239

JOE FORSYTH, 19
Shelton, Connecticut

Joe entered foster care at the age of 11 and spent time in two State foster homes, a shelter, and a residential facility. At the age of 14, Joe was placed with a foster family through Casey Family Services. Joe worked hard in high school and was admitted into Honors level classes. He also was a two time State wrestling champion. In addition to his studies, Joe has mentored younger students and volunteered to train foster parents. Currently, Joe is attending Springfield College in Massachusetts where he studies Applied Exercise Science on a full athletic scholarship. In 1998, Joe was asked to speak about foster care reform at a policy seminar hosted by the Institute for Educational Leadership held on Capitol Hill. Joe credits his success to his foster family, who stood by him even in times of trouble, and the hard work and dedication of his high school wrestling coach.

Contact: Lee Mullane, Casey Family Services (203) 929-3837

LEAH McBRIDE, 25
Cincinnati, Ohio

Leah started in foster care at a very young age and moved into the Lighthouse Independent Living Program at the age of 18. She has completed high school, holds an associates degree, and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree. Leah now works part time at Lighthouse teaching independent living skills and mentoring current program participants. She has spoken to hundreds of foster care parents, business leaders, and other community members about the needs of emancipating foster care youth. Leah also devotes time to encouraging other foster youth to set goals, be persistent in working towards them, and not to let go of their dreams.

The Independent Living (IL) Program through Lighthouse, in which Leah spent a year and a half, is designed to promote self sufficiency in youth by gradually turning over their major life responsibilities. As they learn to become self sufficient, the program allows foster youth as young as 15 ½ to live in their own apartment with intensive support and assistance.

Contact: Mark Kroner, Lighthouse Youth Services (513) 475-5680

ALFRED PEREZ, 22
San Francisco, California

Alfred was in foster care for eleven years. In his last four years in care, he lived in eleven different placements, mostly group homes. During that time, Alfred carried his belongings from place to place in a plastic garbage bag. At age 15, Alfred started participating in the Contra Costa County Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) where he learned about life skills and employment. Alfred also became involved with the California Youth Connection (CYC), a nonprofit organization that involves foster youth in lobbying for their welfare at the local and State levels. Alfred graduated from San Jose State University in 1998, and has since joined CYC as a full time statewide outreach coordinator.

Through the Independent Living Skills Program, Alfred learned a variety of life skills, received job training, and had basic educational skills reinforced. Through his participation in the California Youth Connection (CYC) Alfred gained leadership skills, professional experience in public policy, and learned the importance of public participation in the policy making process. Alfred met the First Lady in November when she visited the University of California at Berkeley to discuss the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.

Contact: Alfred Perez, California Youth Connection (415) 398-1063

RICO SHAW, 18
Baltimore, Maryland

At the age of 10, Rico entered the foster care system upon the death of his mother. At 17, he was referred by a social worker to the local welfare to work program, the Glenarden Campus of Opportunity. Rico's "campus" career assessment focused on earning a GED and securing a job in order to join an independent living program. Rico entered into a UPS Professional Job Readiness and Life Skills training class and enrolled in a GED program. Three weeks after entering the Job Readiness class, Rico was hired by UPS. This past September, Rico moved into his own apartment and is scheduled to take the GED examination in May of this year.

The UPS School-to-Career Partnership for Maryland Youth in Foster Care provides youth emancipating from foster care with part-time jobs, post-secondary educational opportunities and support services. The program works in partnership with the Maryland Department of Human Resources, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Living Classrooms Foundation to support emancipating foster care youth.

Contact: Kevin Garvey, UPS School to Work Program (301) 604-4548

JOY WARREN, 25
New Haven, CT

Joy was in foster care from the age of 13. She has two sisters, one of whom recently left foster care and one who is still in high school. An active advocate on behalf of foster youth, Joy worked with the California Youth Connection (CYC) to improve the foster care system. Joy graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and currently attends Yale Law School.

Joy credits the California Youth Connection (CYC) with broadening her perspective on the wide range of experiences foster youth have within the system. CYC also made her acutely aware of how State and national policies have a profound impact on children's everyday lives.

Contact: Joy Warren (203) 785-8075

TERRI FAYE YADEN, 21
Vienna, VA

Terri was 10 years old when she and her sister were sent to Cookson Hills, a Christian orphanage on the border of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Terri cultivated many interests while at Cookson Hills including public speaking, sign language, sports, and a commitment to public service. Terri traveled across the United States representing Cookson Hills to its financial supporters, particularly Baptist congregations. Terri is now a junior in college at Oklahoma State University majoring in Early Education. In her sophomore year, Terri organized a sign language club, which taught hearing students to sign so they could perform volunteer work within the deaf community. Terri is a three time Orphan Foundation of America (OFA) scholarship recipient and has participated in a foster youth teen leadership program called the OLIVER Project. She has represented the OFA and spoken out on foster care issues in a wide variety of forums.

The Orphan Foundation of America provides college scholarships to older youth in foster care and those who have already left. In addition to receiving scholarship money, recipients are given the opportunity to participate in a summer leadership program in Washington which exposes foster care youth to legislators and gives them a chance to share their experience while learning how policy is made.

Contact: Eileen McCaffrey, Orphan Foundation of America (703) 281-4226

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