2017 CSCC Scholars in DC

Proud of CSCC Scholars for representing Ohio foster youth in DC. 

The Columbus State Scholar Network (CSSN) is available to current or former foster youth who are admitted and enrolled at Columbus State Community College. This program provides current and former foster youth with a network of support during their college journey, including a five-day conference, ongoing mentoring, monthly Lunch & Learn Workshops, peer-to-peer support and other campus resources.   

2017 Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Program

Proud of Jermaine Ferguson and Heather Hill for representing Ohio!

Helping CSCC Scholars Prepare for Their Upcoming Trip to DC

Michael Outrich and Lisa Dickson of ACTION Ohio were honored to help prepare Columbus State Scholars for their upcoming trip to DC.

The Columbus State Scholar Network provides current and former foster youth with a network of support during their college journey, including:

• A five-day conference
• Ongoing mentoring
• Monthly Lunch and Learn Workshops
• Peer-to-peer support
• Other campus resources

Students who actively participate as Scholars are eligible to receive scholarships (stipends) and other valuable incentives to help build student success.


Visit this link for more photos.

2017 OSU College for the Day

ACTION Ohio was honored to partner with our allies to host our fourth OSU College for the Day for Ohio foster care youth.  Youth participants represented Franklin, Athens and Montgomery counties.

Many thanks to:

• OSU CHEE (Center for Higher Education Enterprise)
• OSU DICE (Diversity, Intercultural and Community Engagement)
• Buckeyes for Adoption and Foster Care
• Franklin County Children Services 

The day included:

• A Higher Education Scavenger Hunt
• Youth reporting out and sharing their goals for the future
• A Residence Hall Tour
• Youth sharing their talents (art, music and comedy)
• An engaging and wonderful speaker, Dr. Micky Sharma
• Hands-on networking 
• Opportunity to play sports outside

Please visit this link for additional photos.

2017 Foster Care Awareness Panel at Tri-C

Visit this link for more photos.

Five updates from yesterday's 2017 Foster Care Awareness Panel at Tri-C:

1.  Excellent local partnerships to support higher education success for foster youth, including bridge between Cuyahoga Community College and Cleveland State University
   
2. TAGyc meetings are taking place on a college campus (this is Cuyahoga County's local youth advisory board)
   
3. Sullivan-Deckard Scholars Opportunity Program has retained 11 Scholars, who continue to move forward to attain post-secondary success
   
4. Current goal to recruit at least 10 new Pratt Center Scholars, with campus supports and scholarships of up to $1K
   
5. Two scholarships available to high school seniors (full-four year scholarships, including housing, meal plans and textbooks)

National Safe Place program - do you know your local Safe Place?

What is a Safe Place?    It's a local place that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that youth can go if they are being abused or if they have (or are tempted to) run away. Safe Place is a national program - visit their website at nationalsafeplace.org to identify local help in your area.

Due to Ronnie Dotson and his leadership, he and I and a group of foster youth visited Huckleberry House yesterday. This is where homeless and runaway youth in our area are transported to if they go to a Safe Place in need of help.

It matters that today's young people throughout Ohio know about available resources when they don't feel safe in their own homes - including unsafe foster homes. It made me incredibly happy that two of our youth participants have stayed at Huckleberry House before, and they both had very positive things to say about their experience. I still wish I had got a photo of their kitchen - it was awesome, but it was also being cleaned at the time.

Here are the notes on how they said they would describe Huck House to other youth...

What to expect:

• "Comfort" 
• "Safe" 
• "Fun" 
• "Caring" 
•  "Respectful" 
• "Always have a nice meal" 
• Xbox 1, PS4 and PS2 
• School accommodations: COTA bus pass to district 
• "Nice staff - friendly people" 
• "Outings - fun weekend activities" 
• "Somewhere to sleep" 

Additional things that I learned from the tour:

• The TV room was very cozy, and youth looked very comfortable watching the movie together 
• I really liked the chalkboard walls that teens could write on 
• It was very touching that many of them signed their name: "_________ was here." 
• The music room, with a guitar and piano, was a great creative touch 

It's an impressive legacy that Huckleberry House has been around since 1970. It was interesting to hear the story behind it -- that teens would run away and hide at college campuses, because they could blend in with other youth. Kudos to Huck House for their dedication to surveying teens in order to include their voice on things like allowing cell phones.  (Yes, cell phones are definitely allowed).

2017 April OHIO YAB meeting

Link to additional photos.

2017 april ohio yab meeting from Lisa Dickson