Foster kids look for assistance to finish college
By Tiffany Brooks
Advocates aiming to improve higher education outcomes for foster care youth in the state have launched an initiative aimed at providing better financial aid resources for students.
The Youth in Care Coalition hopes to increase accessibility for college through increased financial aid and raising awareness for struggling students coming from foster care through their Foster College Success Campaign. New York is home to 20,000 kids in foster care but less than 3 percent of them go on to college, according to the coalition.
"I understand all too greatly the challenges a young person in foster care might face while pursuing a college education. I experienced first hand just how much patience, resources, and support is necessary to obtain a college degree while aging out the foster care system," said Jessica Maxwell, the coordinator of the Youth in Care Coalition.
"I went into the system at 13 with the dreams of going to college and then law school but as my time in the foster care system went by my dreams of attending college began to dissipate. I know what it's like to struggle, juggling work and struggling to achieve good grades, all while dealing with the personal issues of being in the foster care system," Maxwell continued. "I was fortunate enough to have access to a specialized scholarship program that provided me with the financial and supportive resources I needed to be successful in college."
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-05-27-88061.113122-Foster-kids-look-for-assistance-to-finish-college.html