Fostering independent hope

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Keynote speaker and Foster Youth Services Peer Mentor Mercedes Calixtro (left) posed for a picture with former foster youths Kordnie Lee, Frank Tucker and Jeanette Rodriguez during a break at Independent City.

They call what happened on Oct. 27 "Independent City" because it is a celebration of learning what life holds for Foster Youth who are suddenly on their own after age 18, when the state no longer provides support. Independent City took place on the campus of Bakersfield College (BC) with dozens of foster youth and pregnant or parenting teens finding out what they can expect as legally defined "adults."

Approximately 100 attended the fifth annual event, presented by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools’ Foster Youth Services, Kern County Department of Human Services and BC. More than 30 agency and community vendors participated including the Bakersfield Police Department, Bright House Networks and the Kern Schools Federal Credit Union.

"This is an outreach event to prepare transition-aged youth (ages 16-18) for life outside of foster care with a real focus on school to career programs," said Foster Youth Services Supervising Case Manager Carrie Bloxom. "This year students had opportunities to receive vocational education instruction, featuring hands-on activities, in the fields of horticulture, medical assisting, manufacturing, computer aided drafting and culinary arts. BC instructors presented courses which are currently part of the curriculum at the college."

Each youth was given a "personal life sheet" outlining a variety of independent living tasks to be completed at the event. The teens had to keep a college class schedule, budget their money, complete rental agreements and connect gas and electric service in addition to keeping a work schedule. Throughout the day, they were constantly being challenged and, at the same time, supported by the various participating, collaborative partners.

Help was never very far away, if needed, since each youth was assigned a mentor.
Mentors could explain the purpose of the tasks, support the youth in making wise choices and guide them through the day’s events.

Foster Youth Services are operated by 57 of the state’s 58 county offices of education. The services are trying to reverse national trends which show that only about 46 percent of foster youth graduate from high school and less than 10 percent attend college. After age 18, a third become homeless, 51 percent are unemployed and one-fourth incarcerated.

The Kern County Superintendent of Schools got involved in Foster Youth Services in 1999. For more information about Foster Youth Services, operated by the Kern County Network for Children, call (661) 636-4488.


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