(Posted 2024 October)
Over the summer, the Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption Program brought the community together to celebrate 14 youth in foster care who overcame significant challenges to successfully graduate. Beating the odds, 11 students obtained high school diplomas, two completed a two- or four-year college degree and one completed a professional certificate program.
An Exciting Venue and New Format!
This year, the Fostering Futures Unit held the graduation celebration at George Mason University’s Corner Pocket Game Room. Friends and supporters including foster care specialists, foster parents, GALs and CASAs were able to come together for an afternoon of fun in the graduates’ honor.
This location was a change of pace for the event. The Pocket Game Room features endless arcade games, table tennis, pool, air hockey, board games, video games, and more. The grads had a blast hanging out with friends in this cool venue trying out all the games.
Instead of a formal speaker this year, some of the sponsors and friends stepped to the microphone to share simple words of encouragement and recognition for the students. As each graduate walked up to the podium, a slideshow presenting fast facts about that individual ran in the background. Each graduate received a handmade lei around the neck once they got to the podium and they were given a chance to say a few words.
Congratulations to each of our graduates!
| ANDREA ALVARADO RAMIREZ | Fairfax HS |
| KHALIAH FORD | Westfield HS |
| BRITTANY GARCIA-OLIVA | Eastern View HS |
| MARIAH GEARHEART | Fairfax HS |
| ALEXANDER JIMENEZ | Penn Foster HS |
| NEVAEH PETERSON | Westfield HS |
| JAYDEN ROSE-FERNANDEZ | Chantilly HS |
| DEBORA SACUL GONZALEZ | GED Program ISSFII |
| GABRIELA SANCHEZ ZAVALA | Annandale HS |
| RICHARD A SUNUM MORALES | James River HS |
| MUGOLI VICTORIA | Bryant HS |
| YOANA BENITEZ GONZALEZ, (FANI) | Le Arai Beauty & Barber Academy |
| MICHAEL MASON | Richard Bland College of William & Mary |
| LILIAN STEVENS MEDINA | Virginia Union University |
An Overwhelming Outpouring of Community Support
Thanks to generous donors, each grad also received personalized gift bags including the items purchased by the community from their Amazon wish lists. “As someone who has attended these foster care graduation events for the past nine years, it was exciting to see so many new community organizations and individuals partnering with us to celebrate our youth,” said Fostering Futures staff Charisma Mallory.” We are grateful not just for all of the financial contributions, but also for those who volunteered their time and talents to make this event memorable!”
Thanks to CASA and Foster the Family for their support in coordinating congratulatory cards of encouragement for each graduate. Thank you to Don’t Go Alone which coordinated all the donations from area faith-based organizations, along with three restaurants which donated the catered meals: Manhattan Pizza, Mission Barbeque and Banditos Tacos. We would also like to thank others who helped sponsor the event and contributed to the gift baskets including so many in the community that responded to the call to purchase items. The outpouring of support was overwhelming! Sponsors included:
- HHRO
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Lambda Kappa Omega Chapter
- First AME Church of Manassas
- Tagged
- Bernie L. Bates Foundation
- Psi Alpha Alpha Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Inc
The Fostering Futures Unit is dedicated to creating a space for the community, sponsors and the Department of Family Services to come together and honor the important milestones and accomplishments of our youth as we instill hope and support for the future.
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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