Graduation is a momentous step in a person’s life, and each year the Department of Family Services recognizes youth in foster care who reach this milestone. Normally, Foster Care and Adoption holds a party to celebrate the accomplishments of each youth graduate, including high school, college, vocational certificate programs, or GED recipients.
It might have looked a little different this year, but the celebration went on in honor of the 16 graduates!
In lieu of an indoor party, this year FC&A held a grad parade to allow for safe social distancing. The students were encouraged to decorate their cars and arrive in style. Staff lined the parking lot to cheer on the happy graduates and share a brief word about each youth and their accomplishments.
“We are so proud of each of these youth and the effort that they have put in to reach this point,” said Maggie Moreland, the Foster Care & Adoption supervisor, who coordinates the event. Nationally, only about 50% of children raised in foster care graduate from high school, and the number of college graduates is significantly lower. These local graduates now have access to more opportunities in life due to their hard work and determination.
Each youth has their own individual goals in mind, and it’s important to provide gifts to help them achieve those goals. A toolkit may be a better gift for someone graduating with a vocational certification, and for someone headed to college, a laptop can be a more helpful gift. Donations from Hearts and Hands Reaching Out (HHRO) and the Bernie L. Bates Foundation, (BLB), Inc. partnering with Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter (PsiAA) of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. made it possible for DFS to continue the tradition of creating these graduate-specific swag bags. Chuck Berlin, an Independent Living coordinator, with Foster Care and Adoption-Resources and Support Program, worked with the sponsors to coordinate the gifts.
Of course, a lot of effort and coordination went into transitioning to this new format. “Seeing their smiling faces made all the planning worth it,” said Natalie Sposato, one of the event’s planners. “We were so excited to come together to celebrate their achievements this year, even if it was not in our conventional way.”
If you are interested in ways the community can help prepare older youth in Foster Care for adult responsibilities, and contribute to their safety, stability, normalcy, and well-being, learn more about Permanency and Life Skills.
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
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