Good News - June 2020

OUT AND ABOUT 32 JUNE 2020 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition Fillingout applications topur- sue her extravagant dreams, un- wanted memories flooded Beatrice’s thoughts fromher past. Beatrice, a foster youth at Place of Hope who is graduating from Palm Beach Gardens High Shool, explained how filling out FAFSA and scholarship applica- tions, although exciting, is also a heart wrenching process for her and all of the other foster youth who desire to attend college. As the students donot haveanarray of information on their immediate family, they are unable to answer a vast amount of questions on these applications. Given the troubling situation foster youth face at this exciting time for other students, it also is a factor in steering foster youth away fromthe collegeapplication process at all. Place of Hope, the largest children’s organization in the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach Counties, is shattering negative graduation statistics for its foster youth in care. Since2001, thechildren’sor- ganization has celebrated 100 percent of its high school seniors graduating, against the statistics of a mere 30 percent of foster care youth graduating from high school nationwide. As the family-style foster care agency lines its streets with vibrant balloons and con- gratulation banners on June 12, its 2020 graduates will stand in their lawns smiling and waving as they are congratulated at a safe social distance by a grad- uation celebratory parade. All of the14highschool 2020 graduates at Place of Hope have conquered a battle many people never imagine facing. The organ- ization is even celebrating one of its young adults, Will, graduating fromSoutheasternUniversitywith a Masters in Social Work. Place of Hope’s young adults are con- quering a number of hard situa- tions, like overcoming language barriers and caring for babies. Lucero, a Place of Hope 2020 graduate of Palm Beach Central High School, said “Never give up! Dream, dream and dream,” to inspire all of the children and youth in the orga- nization’s care. Many of the Place of Hope graduates are motivated to earn Bachelor’s degrees and beyond, like Beatrice who is devoted to medicine and aspires to become a Trauma Surgeon or ER Physi- cian. Beatrice’s commitment to challenging herself in her aca- demics stems fromher productive perspective that she is no longer a victimof her situation, but a sur- vivor of it. “I am going to be the one whose controlling my future. But, in the right way,” Beatrice confidently said. Place of Hope is ranked #1 in Charity Navigator for “Youth Development, Crisis Services and Shelter” and has been rewarded a Platinum Seal of Transparency on GuideStar for four years. Charles Bender, Place of Hope Founding CEOand Board Member, said, “We are shatter- ing statistics. We have 15 young people graduating who statistics say should never make it. What is even more amazing, is that every young person who has been in our care at the time of their graduation, has success- fully graduated. Many of them continuing on to post-secondary. We have had five of them pur- chase their very own home through our community partner, Habitat for Humanity.” Throughout Bender’s 20 years of leading Place of Hope, he has formed committed part- nerships with community mem- bers to always lift up the most vulnerable populations in the or- ganization’s neighboring commu- nities.Whenheseesavulnerable population that needs to be reached, hesaid therearealways community partners who raise their hands to help. Place of Hope’s Gradua- tion Sponsors are all commit- ted to the organization’s mission and making the grad- uates experience special, Ben- der said. Among the 2020 Graduation Sponsors, is long- time supporter Jennifer Hous- ton with the GEO Group. Houston said, “The GEO Group Foundation has been a proud supporter of Place of Hope since 2011 and would like to extend a congratulations to all of Place of Hope’s 2020 graduates.” GL Homes is Place of Hope’s 2020 Graduation Pre- sentingSponsor. The2020Grad- uation Community Partners are Best Foot Forward, Coastal Click Photography, Dr. LeighanRinker, GEOGroup and Julian’s Kids. 15 Local Foster Youth ShatteringNational Graduation Statistics Beatrice Will