Take part-- Every year, 800,000 kids are uprooted to spend time in foster care. Some of them have no idea where their siblings are, do not know the people who they have been brought to live with, often they have to go to a new school, and worry about when (if ever) they will see their own families again.

While some of these kids will return to their families and others will be adopted, many will remain in the system. In fact, each year 25,000 kids age out of the system when they reach 18, and, without support from either their families or the government, less than half of kids who have aged out complete high school. 

In an attempt to fill that gap, organizations like Foster Club offer advice, information, and hope. Each year Foster Club chooses All-Star foster youth to represent the organization. Although these youth have experienced difficulties, they remain resilient and determined work towards a better future for themselves and other foster youth.

20 years old-- 7 years in Michigan’s foster care system

Tobias knew at an early age that he was gay. He also understood that his family would not accept his homosexuality. His decision to share this with his family was met with rejection and one year of reparative therapy; his family’s last ditch effort to make him heterosexual.  He says, “being gay is not a choice. My family had another meeting and they kicked me out. I was 12 years old.”

For a year, Tobias was homeless; he slept in abandoned builds and couch-hopped. Tobias shares that this experience made him grow up very fast. Eventually, it was discovered by one of his teachers that he was living under a bridge and Tobias was placed in foster care.

Tobias reflects on his time spent in foster care with mixed emotions as it was filled with both good and bad experiences. At one point two gay fathers wanted to adopt Tobias into their family. But in many states gay couples can only legally foster children rather than adopt them.  "If they can financially and emotionally support a youth in foster care, so be it," Rogan says. "I don’t care if it’s two women or two men who love me; it's love and there shouldn’t be a face to love.”

After his tumultuous time with his birth family and in the foster care system, Tobias and his social workers felt that independent living was the optimal situation for him. When he was 16, Tobias was able to move into his own apartment. His focus during this time was on his studies and juggling jobs in order to pay rent. Tobias aged out foster care when he was 18 and, although his experience was a painful one, he managed to remain positive in his outlook on life. 

Today, Tobias attends Western Michigan University majoring in film and media studies and social work.  He said that upon his arrival to college he realized what he had to offer and hopes to use the media to advocate for other foster care youth. When asked about this career choice, Tobias simply replies he is doing it because his heart is in it. 

Kita Anderson

22 years old-- 4 years in Colorado’s foster care system

At five years of age, Kita and her siblings were removed from their home because of neglect. Kita and her younger sister went into one foster home while he younger brother went into another. Kita’s older sisters went to live with their biological father. 

Kita’s foster home placement was a good match. She recalls that it was a place where she could just be a kid and knew that her foster family supported her exploration of self. Unfortunately after Kita’s and her sister’s two year stay with this family, they were removed because the couple weren’t ready to adopt. “When I left,” she says, “I didn’t understand. I thought they didn’t love me anymore.”  

Kita was adopted by a single mother and lived with her for eight years until one day her adoptive mother asked Kita to leave because she felt inadequate as a mother. Kita recalls this request as being “like whiplash.” She later discovered that her adopted mother was schizophrenic and that it was actually better that she moved out.  Kita then moved back in with her first foster family for a while and then she went to a group home. 

During her senior year in high school, Kita got a call from her caseworker with news that her older sister wanted to speak with her. The sisters had had no communication since their childhood. Although she was apprehensive, she flew to San Francisco to meet her sister. They now have a strong and loving relationship. 

Kita aged out of the foster care system when she was 18.  With the support of her sister and her first foster family she was granted scholarships to college. She recently graduated from the University of San Francisco. In the fall, she will be headed to Columbia University where she plans to get a masters degree in social work in order to work with foster youth. 

Tasha Santos

22 years old-- 7 years in New York’s foster care system

Tasha was nine years old when she and her six siblings were removed from their home and placed in foster care. Tasha’s mother was charged with neglect and, subsequently, her parental rights were terminated. Unfortunately, Tasha and her siblings were separated and each placed in different foster homes.  As she remembers,  “to lose them for so long was really hard.”

Initially, Tasha was placed in several different foster homes. And her early experiences were not necessarily positive. However, Tasha’s life took a turn for the better when she moved in with a Jamaican family at the age of 13.  At first, Tasha had some difficulty opening up and getting to know her new family. But, because the family was patient and supportive, Tasha soon came to realize that this was a great fit. 

It took a few years to complete the adoption process, but Tasha now has what she calls a “forever family.” Tasha recognized the good fortune of being matched with her adoptive mother as it was possible that could have never met. 

“Out of all the people I could have been placed with and all the kids she could have adopted, somehow we found each other.”

Tasha was able to maintain relationships with several of her birth siblings and she presently attends La Guardia Community College where she studies journalism. Tasha would like other foster kids to know that she roots for them every day and that happy endings do exist.

Jeremy Long

 21 years old-- 5 years in Colorado’s foster care system

When he was four, Jeremy’s parents divorced. When he was five, Jeremy was kidnapped by his father. After two years of emotional and physical abuse, Jeremy’s father returned him to his mother. In the beginning, Jeremy thought that things would go well with his mother. Unfortunately, his mother began abusing alcohol and prostituting herself. 

“My mom was unstable and couldn’t pay rent; so we moved in with her. On my 12th birthday, she hopped into a truck with a random trucker and moved to California.”

However, when Jeremy entered the foster care system, he was placed with a loving family. Jeremy was the first foster care child in his adoptive mother’s home and she was Jeremy’s first foster parent. Jeremy expressed that the match was incredible as they shared many of the same interests and goals. 

Presently, the adoption is in the process of being finalized.  Jeremy graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with her support. He has also earned an internship with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington D.C.  At the institute, Jeremy will be working towards a better foster care system.

Courtesy of Take Part