He was 17. Tall and handsome, with thick, curly black hair and dark brown eyes. He created distance with those eyes – they weren’t emotionless or cold, but they did express a sort of reservation to engage in a conversation. He answered my questions without elaboration - mostly “yes” and “no”. What grade was he in? He wasn’t sure – hadn’t been in school for a couple of years, and the case worker hadn’t tried to enroll him yet. The last grade he had completed was 9th. He looked surprised when I asked what he wanted to do after he turned 18. What did he want to achieve? Did he want to get some additional education?
“I’m not smart enough to go to college.”
Many kids in foster care and the juvenile justice system find themselves educationally delayed, losing one or two school years by the time their peers reach 12th grade. The delays occur for a variety of reasons, largely related to school attendance and continuity. As tragic as that is, perhaps the greater tragedy is that the kids often don’t understand why they are behind. Just that they are 1 or 2 years older than anyone in their class. And often that translates into the belief by themselves or others that they aren’t intelligent, aren’t as capable as everyone else at setting or achieving educational goals.
At age 18 kids “age out” of foster care. 15% of them do not have a high school diploma or GED. Only 2% will graduate from college. The lack of education translates into poor job options – by 25 years of age they will earn 1/3 less than their peers and be less likely to have a job that provides important benefits such as health insurance.
But what disturbed me most was the hopelessness of his statement. I’m not smart enough…Who told him that? More importantly, who is going to tell him something different? Will you?
What YOU can do: tutor, buy school supplies, sponsor a kid’s school activities (sports, choir, etc.), help kids apply to or visit college and vo-tech campuses. Contact your local child welfare/foster care agency and ask how you can help.
As a social worker in child welfare, I see many kids who have not or do not receive the encouragement they need to stay in school, especially the older ones. As you pointed out, many think “What’s the use?” We need many more genuinely dedicated volunteers who can assist in encouraging and assisting these young people with school work and the potential that each of them have.
I agree John, and we need organized systems to be able to plug them in when they call. We have to keep pushing toward this.
Great list of can do’s, I think a lot of people just feel overwhelmed with HOW they can help. It seems most people assume if you aren’t in a position to take them into your home there is nothing elses you can do.