Kansas Independence

Matt Hudson lived with his parents for most of his childhood in a constant state of instability; this became especially true after his parents divorced and both Matt and his father lived in 4 different states before settling in Humboldt, Kansas.

 

At the age of 14, Matt was entered into foster care because of a physically abusive relationship with his father. Matt was shuffled

through a few temporary foster homes across Kansas before a long-term placement in Pittsburg. After spending some time in this placement, Matt realized that he had the desire to return to Humboldt.

 

 

 

 

 Courtesy of Matt Hudson 

 

With assistance from his case worker, Matt was placed with a foster care family in Humboldt the summer before his sophomore year. But after just a few months with this family it was determined that placement was not a desirable match, Therefore, Matt again began looking for a new home.

 

Serendipitously, Matt asked a friend whose parents were a licensed foster care home if they would let him join their family. Recognizing the opportunity to help, Matt was taken into the home.

 

During his time at Humboldt High School, Matt took charge of his education and became involved in forensics and debate, the scholar’s bowl, and journalism activities. He also started advocating for other foster children by joining the Kansas Youth Advisory Council, eventually becoming president and the longest acting member of the group. During his membership, Matt worked to improve the process of sibling visitation, caseworker meetings, and transferring high school credits.

 

Matt decided to attend the University of Kansas because he had a number of friends going there and he was able to utilize the tuition waiver from the Foster Child Education Assistance program to mediate the cost of attendance. Matt now studies law at Washburn University in Topeka.

 

Christie Jones was taken into foster care in the ninth grade due to neglect and her mother’s drug addiction. Her first permanent placement was with a family in Lawrence that also cared for another foster child and a biological child with special needs.

 

“The problem was I was coming into an already chaotic household,” Christie said. “It was definitely a better alternative than where I had come from, but I knew I deserved better than that.”

 

So upon turning 16, Christie sought another placement with a friend’s family in Lenexa.

“I basically just told them I wanted to be happy and said, ‘You guys seem like a pretty good family. Do you think I could come live with you?’”

In this placement Christie became truly focused on the direction of her education by looking into scholarships and programs that were available to her. No one in Christie’s birth family had gone to college therefore the option of doing so was never discussed during her childhood. However, she credits her foster family’s encouragement for her desire and drive to obtain a college education.

Just a year before Christie’s high school graduation, the family told her that they would be moving out of Kansas. Being aware of the tuition waiver and other programs afforded to Kansas foster children, she decided to move in with her maternal grandmother in De Soto.

At the finish of her senior year, Christie had graduated second in her class, received multiple scholarship offers, and had been accepted to the University of Kansas.

“KU was really a place to settle down, maintain relationships and grow as an individual.” Christie said.

LINK: http://www.kansan.com/news/2010/mar/24/stories-system/