麻豆视频

First Star 麻豆视频 Academy Provides Umbrella of Protection for Foster Care Alumni聽

Throughout Claire鈥檚 high school years, First Star 麻豆视频 Academy college access program for youth in foster care has provided her with life skills, career exploration, social and cultural activities and moral support. 

Now Claire is a first-year student at 麻豆视频, majoring in psychology. Although she lives on the Kent Campus and is no longer in foster care, she continues to be under the Purple Umbrella Network, First Star鈥檚 newest support resource for youth transitioning out of foster care. 

Claire is one of the first two First Star 麻豆视频 Academy high school graduates. Both have gone on to higher education. The other scholar is enrolled at Stark State College. 

鈥淔irst Star was supportive of me and helped me prepare for college,鈥 Claire said. 鈥淭hey helped me see if I could get scholarships. I was able to get a micro grant from them. I am still in contact with (First Star).鈥 

is a national, nonprofit program that partners with child welfare agencies, universities and school districts to ensure that foster youth have the academic, life skills and support they need to transition to higher education and adulthood. 

First Star 麻豆视频 Academy scholars on a field trip.

Danielle Green-Welch, director of the academy, launched the first cohort of the program in 2020. Now the program is recruiting for the 2023 cohort. 

鈥淔irst Star is specifically for middle and high school students, but the purple umbrella component is geared toward supporting not just our First Star graduates, but any student on the Kent Campus that has a foster care impact,鈥 Green-Welch said. 鈥淥ur goal of course is to work with them to help to not just get them here, but to help them stay and graduate.鈥 

Green-Welch got the idea to start a purple umbrella network from one that she created while in a previous position with the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services.  

That purple umbrella network had 100 community partners who educated the community on the needs of young people who were transitioning from foster care. She knew several students who needed help with various struggles. 

Youth in foster care should receive proactive support and resources in the same manner as that of underrepresented and special needs populations, veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness and nontraditional students, she said. 

 鈥淚 wanted to build that same network because it is a bit challenging and a lot of times our students wait until a situation is really far gone before they ask for help,鈥 Green-Welch said.  

Last summer First Star held its residential summer academy with 12 middle and high school students who spent two weeks in a residence hall at 麻豆视频. While on campus, students were engaged with the Brain Health Research Institute and the Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Communication and Information

First Star 麻豆视频 Academy scholars in Washington D.C.

"Having the opportunity to engage with the various departments and the university gave our scholars the chance to start thinking about what their future endeavors might entail after high school,鈥 Green-Welch said. 

Claire鈥檚 grandmother Ayasha Coles of Kent got her four grandchildren involved in First Star 麻豆视频 Academy three years ago. The children had been in foster care until she got custody of them. 

鈥淓verything they have done is a godsend,鈥 Coles said. 鈥淭hey have activities and speakers and they encourage the children to think about their future.鈥  

 For more information about First Star 麻豆视频 Academy, email firststarinfo@kent.edu

POSTED: Friday, October 14, 2022 12:03 PM
UPDATED: Thursday, September 05, 2024 10:40 AM
WRITTEN BY:
April McClellan-Copeland