May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity raise awareness of the experiences and needs of the more than 400,000 children and youth in the foster care system. The campaign also encourages the community to get involved and support these young people. Every year, approximately 30,000 young people leave the foster care system without lifelong families – most at age 18.
Each month, The Teen Toolbox recognizes a resilient teenager as our SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month. SPOTLIGHT Teen of the Month award recognizes a youth (14-21) in the foster care system that is leading a life of promise and making a positive impact in his or her community. Nominations are accepted on a continuous basis.
Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer
The Teen Toolbox provides youth portfolio development and civic engagement and academic empowerment strategies to help teens set goals for life after high school and create a road map to reach those goals through its PACKAGED FOR SUCCESS™ Programs.
What: The 7th Flag Takeover is an ALL GIRLS event taking place at Six Flags America on June 1, 2013. The ladies will experience:
- “Girls Rule The World” Interactive workshops
- Buffet lunch
- Young Motive performance
- Photo Shoot
- G.E.A.R. back pack/t-shirt
When: Saturday, June 1, 2013
Where: SIX FLAGS AMERICA, 12710 Central Avenue, Mitchellville, MD 20721
Time: 12:00pm-9:00pm
Ages: 11-16 years old – Prince George’s County Residents only.
Admission: $26 – Registration due by May 17th
See the THE 7TH FLAG TAKEOVER FLYER here! Questions, please call M-NCPPC at 301-249-7200.
Nicki Sanders, MSW, Chief Visionary Officer
Happy President’s Day!
What If Our President Was a Foster Care Alumni?
- If the President of the United States was a foster care alumni would 21 become the age that youth exit foster care nationwide?
- If our President was a foster care alumni would local agencies receives more and not less funding for child abuse and neglect prevention and early intervention services?
- If our President was a foster care alumni would the numbers of effective life skills, transitional living, and workforce development training programs for teens in foster care increase?
- If our President was a foster care alumni would we have thousands of young adults aging out of the foster care system annually?
- If our President was a foster care alumni would people begin to believe in and celebrate the potential and promise of young people in foster care?
America, The Beautiful (by Katharine Lee Bates – 1913)
*Today we honor the victims and families of the September 11th attacks.*
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion’d stress
A thorough fare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes prov’d
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
Do you love books? I have always loved books and I have instilled a love of reading in my daughter. Books are on every birthday and Christmas list. I truly believe that “a book is a present that you can open again and again”.
How do you instill a love of reading in your children and teens?
Quotes On Literacy & Reading
”Once you learn to read, you will forever be free.” – Frederick Douglas
“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” — Frank Serafini
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” — Emilie Buchwald
”There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” — Jacqueline Kennedy
”The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
