Celebrating Graduates

I was invited to photograph and help Foster Progress celebrate the graduates of the class of 2023 and send them off to higher education with gifts and words of encouragement. It was a beautiful day to celebrate success in Chicago!

Foster Progress empowers Illinois youth currently or formerly in foster care to attain a college degree and transition into adulthood successfully by providing mentorship, advocacy, and educational opportunity.

The 2023 Graduation & Scholarship Celebration was a success! They gathered to send the students off to college equipped with scholarship money, laptops, and all the ‘Wish List’ items volunteer and supporters so generously donated. They were surrounded by the Foster Progress, staff, friends, and their mentors.

Kate Danielson from Foster Progress shared,

“Eleven students were able to attend, along with mentors, parents, foster parents, and friends. It was sweet to see the mentors’ pride as they mark this milestone in their ongoing relationships with students.“

Here’s a message that one mentor wrote to share with her student:

“Just keep on being you. Keep that focus, discipline, organization, and self-manage your time and stress. You are in this moment right now because of your hard work and there is absolutely no reason to think you won’t do well in this next chapter. I have no doubt that you will approach college with the same vigilance and tenacity as you have up to this point. But if you ever need a reminder that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and that you have what it takes to succeed, I’m a phone call away to discuss your concerns. Keep putting what you learn to task and focus on critical thinking skills. Above all, enjoy! Participate in non-academic extracurricular activities and have fun with your college experience.”

Youth who have experienced foster care are matched with a one-on-one college educated mentor who helps them finish high school strong and walk through the college application and financial aid process. Each time they meet with their mentor, they earn $100 in scholarship money to be used when they enroll in a post-secondary program. The students use this earned money to help fund further education.