News : Community Asked to be Part of Annual Graduation Celebrations

Plans are underway for the annual initiative to recognize area students who have beaten the odds to succeed by graduating from high school while living in foster care, living on their own, who are homeless, or who may not otherwise be able to celebrate their accomplishments. It is anticipated that Benton-Iowa Decat and Community Partnership for Protecting Children will help as many as fifteen graduates this year in Benton and Iowa Counties with referrals coming from school counselors and staff at the Department of Human Services and Juvenile Court Services. The goal is to help the students receive the things typically associated with high school graduation such as senior pictures, invitations, cakes and refreshments for their celebration, as well as items needed as they transition out of high school and head off to college or their first apartment. Businesses, churches, organizations and members of the community can help celebrate an outstanding achievement by these students by giving a gift, providing a service or by making a monetary donation. Monetary donations may be sent to Wesley United Methodist Church, 516 2nd Ave., Vinton, IA 52349. Please include a notation that the donation is for the graduation celebration program. According to Casey Family Programs, it is estimated that 30-50% of youth exit the foster care system without a high school diploma or high school equivalent. Meanwhile, only 30.7% of children who grow up in foster care graduate from high school. Of those, less than 2% will go on to college. Most not only suffered the loss of their biological family but most have had multiple foster homes, moves, changes in case workers, friends and schools. On average, foster kids will move six times between Kindergarten and 12th grade. In Iowa, an average of 364 youth exit foster care or juvenile justice placements annually through emancipation, with approximately 63% reporting no monthly income. Youth aging out of foster care often lack natural supports that other youth receive from family. One foster youth that participated in a similar program in Waterloo commented that when she left foster care, she didn’t realize all the things she needed to get. She was provided with what she needed while in foster care, but when she had to leave at age 18, it dawned on her that she couldn’t take the foster parent’s pillow, alarm clock or blankets with her. Another young man realized he didn’t have a suitcase to move his clothing in. This is the sixth year for this initiative in Benton and Iowa Counties. Past volunteers have shared that one of the most surprising discoveries has been the high number of students living on their own while in high school. For more information about this initiative, contact Erin Monaghan by email at Erin.BentonIowaDecat@gmail.com or by calling 319/241-1817 or by calling Barbara Rego at 319/472-3034.