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There have been times when a teenager has shocked you, frustrated you, disappointed you, or angered you — a child or foster child, a relative, a neighbor, or a client on your caseload. It’s OK to admit it. We’ve all been there. As a teenager I was a huge LL Cool J fan. A self-proclaimed […]
Read MoreTHANK YOU for supporting The Teen Toolbox and for reading our blog. Through our Packaged For Success™ programs, we utilize youth portfolio development, academic empowerment, and civic engagement to help youth set goals for life after high school and create a road map to reach those goals. We are also strongly committed to supporting youth […]
Read MoreAs I Grow ~ Author Unknown As I grow, please understand that I am growing up and changing very fast. It must be difficult to keep pace with me, but please try. As I grow, listen to me and give me brief, clear answers to my questions. Then I will keep sharing my […]
Read MoreThe predicted outcomes of youth who age out of foster care are grim – homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, unintended pregnancy, and low educational attainment. The high incidences of these social ills within this population are most often associated with a lack of stability and healthy, permanent relationships or not acquiring essential life skills before being thrown […]
Read MoreAmerica, The Beautiful (by Katharine Lee Bates – 1913) *Today we honor the victims and families of the September 11th attacks.* O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From […]
Read MoreWhile eating fruit with my lunch today I realized that my dream home includes an apple tree and a grape vine. My apple tree insight brought to mind one of my favorite movies of all time – Baby Boom. In 1987, Diane Keaton played a driven career woman working in a Manhattan marketing/advertising agency. She […]
Read MoreTHE TEEN TOOLBOX promotes youth portfolio development, academic enrichment, and civic engagement to help youth set goals for life after high school and develop a plan to reach those goals. PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT Packaged For Success™ Portfolio Development Program helps youth put their best foot forward. During our one day professional portfolio development seminar, young people […]
Read MoreAn estimated 20,000-25,000 young people age out of the foster care system each year, many without family or economic support. Research shows that the transition to adulthood is difficult for many former foster youth. When they age out of the foster care system, they’re more likely than their peers to end up in homeless, in jail, […]
Read MoreI’m on a quest to eliminate my weekends from my extended work week and make them real weekends filled with relaxation and enjoyment. In my efforts to rejuvenate, I spent time watching my new favorite TV channel – GMC. This weekend was the premiere of the GMC original movie “Somebody’s Child”. This was a touching […]
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