The London 2012 Olympic Games end this Sunday. Olympic fever has taken over the world and provided me yet another opportunity to highlight adoption and foster care – I’m so grateful. After his win, thirty-four year old, shot put bronze medal winner, Reese Hoffa, used his achievement to raise awareness about the numbers of children […]
Reese Hoffa: Olympic Winner and Adoption Advocate Read More »
Years ago I worked in a transitional living program for young adults 18-21 years old. The “residents” included teen mothers and a few young people who were in the foster care system. The teen moms shared a room with their children and all other residents shared one bedroom apartments. Each person was required to seek
Why Is 21 The Magic Cut-Off Age? Read More »
WATCH (poem) By Frank Outlaw Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
What is Mandela Day? – Following the success of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in London’s Hyde Park in June 2008, a decision was made to celebrate Mr. Mandela’s birthday each year with a day dedicated to his life’s work and that of his charitable organizations, and to ensure his legacy continues forever. The
Become a Mandela Day Changemaker Read More »
WINNER’S BLUEPRINT FOR ACHIEVEMENT By William Arthur Ward BELIEVE while others are doubting. PLAN while others are playing. STUDY while others are sleeping. DECIDE while others are delaying. PREPARE while others are daydreaming. BEGIN while others are procrastinating. WORK while others are wishing. SAVE while others are wasting. LISTEN while others are talking. SMILE while
Winner’s Blueprint for Achievement Read More »
The Teen Toolbox provides “tools for teens to take charge”. We are huge proponents of the positive youth development model. In its simplest form positive youth development means that instead of focusing on risk factors and deficits, we focus on the strength and promise in youth. The positive youth development model suggests that helping youth
Are Your Teens Taking Charge? Read More »
Every teen’s life is worth documenting. That documentation can happen in a scrapbook, a journal, or as with many youth in foster care it happens in a life book. A scrapbook contains an artsy collection of photos of (professional and unprofessional) special moments and fun life events. A journal can contain personal ideas and thoughts
Document Their Lives In A Professional Portfolio? Read More »
Today we continue our National Foster Care Awareness Month blog series on teen males with the interview of another foster father with KidsPeace. Bob O’Connor and his wife Coco have been foster parents for 23 years. They have had short-term placements, long-term placements, and provided therapeutic foster care and respite care. They have been foster parents to
Bob – Tough But Fair Foster Father Read More »
Our fifth blog post in our National Foster Care Awareness Month blog series dedicated to teen males in foster care focuses on fatherhood. Dyral Brown is the single, foster father of two teen males ages 14 and 16. As a young professional, Dyral realized that he could connect with and have a positive influence on
Dyral – Discipline, Expectation, and Foster Fatherhood Read More »
You may have read my last blog about empowering youth to take calculated risks. One way to improve critical thinking skills and to encourage calculated risk taking is through reading regularly. Reading is preparation for the future. We cannot put a price tag on the value of a quality education. No child can be
Reading Means The World Is Your Classroom Read More »