Jimmy Graham: From Foster Care to Statistic Breaker

I tuned in to Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour with Bishop TD Jakes this past Monday night and was delighted to learn about Jimmy Graham, tight end for the NFL New Orleans Saints.  I’m not a football fan but I am an advocate for youth in foster care and I was captivated as Jimmy shared his experience as a teen in the system.

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that we are commemorating National Foster Care Awareness Month 2012 with a focus on teen males in the foster care system.  We are raising awareness about the needs of teen males in the foster care system in two special ways:

(1)    Hosting our First Annual Pack A Backpack Drive to donate backpacks and personal hygiene items to teen males in foster care

(2)    Using our BLOG as a platform to share real life stories about teen males who are about to age out of the foster care system and foster parents who are helping teen males successfully transition into adulthood

Women’s History Month and Packaged For Success™

March is National Women’s History Month.  Each year National Women’s History Month employs a unifying theme and recognizes national honorees whose work and lives testify to that theme. Women’s Education – Women’s Empowerment is the theme for National Women’s History Month 2012.  The six women who help illustrate how ethnicity, region, culture, and race relate to Women’s Education – Women’s Empowerment are:

• Emma Hart Willard, Women Higher Education Pioneer
• Charlotte Forten Grimke, Freedman Bureau Educator
• Annie Sullivan, Disability Education Architect
• Gracia Molina Enriquez de Pick, Feminist Educational Reformer
• Okolo Rashid, Community Development Activist and Historical Preservation Advocate
• Brenda Flyswithhawks, American Indian Advocate and Educator

Why Should I Stay In School?

In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Obama asked states to consider increasing the minimum age for a student to leave school to 18. How do we keep youth engaged and motivated?  Teens are unique and their educational experiences should be unique as well.  The cookie cutter approach to education leads to our teens dropping out of school or graduating from high school unprepared for higher education or the workforce.  The “old way” of teaching is driving our national education reform efforts.

According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, high school drop outs from the class of 2006-2007 will cost the US more than $329 million in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetime because those who drop out are more likely to be incarcerated, rely on public programs and social services, and go without health insurance than those who graduate from high school.  A college education may not be for everyone but graduation from high school is a MUST.

Passion, Compassion, and Integrity

I posted a status on my social media accounts a few days ago that read, “A degree can’t produce passion, compassion, and integrity.” I received quite a few “Likes”, retweets, and interesting comments.  The responses I received made me really think about what that statement means to me and led me to write this blog post.

Let me begin by saying that I am one hundred percent pro education.  Education encourages research and critical thinking and opens doors of opportunity.  I have a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Social Work to support my theories.  At the end of 2011 I came to the firm conclusion that The Teen Toolbox work will focus on improving the quality of life for youth involved in the foster care and child welfare system.  Actually, foster care is not really a new path or target population for me.  In fact, participation in a holiday drive for a residential facility for teen mothers in foster care during my senior year in high school is what helped solidify my career choice. The other option on the table was education. Yep, I was considering becoming a teacher. (Didn’t I tell you that I am pro education?)  My passion for helping others, compassionate personality, and personal integrity led me to pursue higher education and more specifically the field of social work.

Why Foster Care and Why Now?

After weeks of dropping hints, I announced on New Year’s Day that The Teen Toolbox will work for and with youth in the foster care system.  Many people have supported the change but wondered why I decided to focus on teens in foster care and why I am making the decision now.  The truth is I have worked with and for youth in foster care for the last twenty years.  This has always been my passion.  Collecting donations for a residential home for teen mothers in the child welfare system as a high school senior was my entry point to the world of youth in foster care.  My curiosity led me to do more research and to pursue social work in college.

Should She Wear Her School Uniform?

During a recent presentation, a high school student asked if she should wear her school uniform to her job interview at a fast food restaurant the following day. Here are the facts – the young lady has a half day schedule at school and the potential employer is aware that she is a student and instructed her to come right after school. My answer was that she shouldn’t wear her school uniform to her interview if she had the ability to bring a change of clothing to school with her and change into it in ten minutes or less.

Young people need to know how to truly “dress for success”. Have you explained to your youth that fabric, color, length, fit, and style matter? Just because a student is wearing a skirt or a pair of slacks doesn’t mean they’re dressed professionally. Whether interviewing for a part-time position, applying for seasonal or summer work, or attending a college fair students should dress “up” with the option of going casual later if the environment permits.

Is There A Difference Between A Job And A Career?

I encourage teens to do what they love.  I believe that teens should do what they love when it comes to hobbies, community services, and employment.  So, when asked the question is there a difference between a job and a career my answer is a resounding yes.

A job is what you do to earn money but a career is a series of connected employment endeavors. Let me use myself as an example.  Since graduating from college many years ago I have been employed in various organizations working with various populations – families, pre-school and elementary school, pre-teens, teens and teen parents.  I have also volunteered in many different capacities, and just like my employment opportunities, they all fit perfectly in my social work career path.  All of my jobs have led me further down the same career track.