higher education

Amid historic reforms to California’s youth justice system, the state is investing in higher education for young people in lockups.

There are various ways to ensure all transitional-aged foster youth are able to receive necessary supplies for school, writes Jasmine Mora.

As I got older and eventually entered college, I realized support was not something I could rely on forever, writes Alex Guerrero.

All it takes is just a little notice, a glance, and a bit of water to prove that not every plant is so defeatable. I like to think that we, foster youth, are the same way, writes Loe Renee.

Project Change offers college classes inside San Mateo County’s juvenile hall, as California expands similar opportunities statewide.

Because of reunification, I wasn’t able to receive the same support that those who age out of foster care receive, writes Erial Pree.

Youth who have experienced foster care have to pay for college by themselves without being taught how to handle money, writes Izzy Wagner.

In October, I attended the Blueprint for Success Conference hosted by John Burton Advocates for Youth, which brings together professionals who support foster youth in higher education. After a few years of the conference being on hiatus because of the pandemic, we were finally able to convene.

There I was, freshly graduated from high school, knowing that I had been accepted as a first generation college student to attend Fresno State University. Yet, I remember being very sad because I did not know what to expect or what college was going to be like.