Yes I was in the foster system. My name is Autumn and I'm 17. On August 30, 2022 my foster parents adopted me. Three weeks with a new last name and I feel so happy. Once I entered foster care,I lost everything I had worked so hard to get. I was so upset that someone cared about my living situation, that I refused to tell them anything. I was sent to live with a random family, and that scared me. My first foster parent was awful, wasn't loving and caring. Didn't care about my education level. My second foster parents were a really good parenting pair, they loved me and fed my desire to want to go to college. After 4 years of trying to get back all my hardworking with scholarships, the second family adopted me. They are helping me find scholarships and looking at colleges. They support me for also be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, since they are a lesbian couple. Getting this scholarship would mean so much to me. Words cannot express how much I would appreciate it. Pursuing a higher degree would make me happy. It would show the world what a foster child has to offer and with the right resources and someone to care about them, they can thrive in a better home and school. People often disengage with foster kids because they think they are bad or did something terribly illegal. That's not always the case. I think getting this scholarship and having this posed in the showcase on the scholarship page will open peoples eyes. Foster kids are just kids who have experienced trauma that completely robbed them of their childhood. It doesn't matter if you're a foster kid or not, you deserve to have a higher education if you want it. Absence of money shouldn't be a factor as to why someone can't pursue a higher education. I plan to make an impact on my community by helping others. So pursing a higher degree of education is super important to me. I want my story to help other foster kids or non foster kids. I want to let them know that they can do it too and that it's okay to ask for help with this scholarship and college process. I plan to expand the help of foster kiddos. If they need help with understanding college or job resume.

Ever since I was little kid, I dreamed of going to college. My parents' didn't go to college and only pursed a high school diploma. I wanted to be the first in my family to pursue a higher education. My parents weren't supportive of that idea and said it wasn't worth it. I tried everything I could to make sure I could go to college. Once I entered foster care,I lost everything I had worked so hard to get. I was so upset that someone cared about my living situation, that I refused to tell them anything. I was sent to live with a random family, and that scared me. My first foster parent was awful, wasn't loving and caring. Didn't care about my education level. My second foster parents were a really good parenting pair, they loved me and fed my desire to want to go to college. After 4 years of trying to get back all my hardworking with scholarships, the second family adopted me. They are helping me find scholarships and looking at colleges. They support me for also be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, since they are a lesbian couple. Getting this scholarship would mean so much to me. Words cannot express how much I would appreciate it. Pursuing a higher degree would make me happy. It would show the world what a foster child has to offer and with the right resources and someone to care about them, they can thrive in a better home and school. People often disengage with foster kids because they think they are bad or did something terribly illegal. That's not always the case. I think getting this scholarship and having this posed in the showcase on the scholarship page will open peoples eyes. Foster kids are just kids who have experienced trauma that completely robbed them of their childhood. It doesn't matter if you're a foster kid or not, you deserve to have a higher education if you want it. Absence of money shouldn't be a factor as to why someone can't pursue a higher education. Coming from a dirt poor household to an average household, money wasn't a problem for me. I constantly used scholarships and grants, at one point I had up to $10,000.00 in scholarships and grants, that took me 4 years to collect. So pursing a higher degree of education is super important to me. I want my story to help other foster kids or non foster kids.I want to let them know that they can do it too and that it's okay to ask for help with this scholarship and college process.

Yes, I currently have 4 dogs. My dog plays an important role in my life. They are loving and help me through my theraputic journeys. My dogs know when I need them and are ready to give me support whenever, wherever. There is a special bond between a dog and its owner, and trust plays a role in it. My dogs have taken family trips with me and my family. We never leave the dogs at home. When we take a trip, it's mandatory to bring them along, because they are family. They help give me a sense of responsibility, because they require time, love, and patience. While dogs are expensive and require a lot of attention and care, humans also require a lot of attention and care. Having a dog makes me feel appreciated and loved. My dogs have also played the role of helping reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive thoughts and feelings. They help me with testing whenever I can't focus. I have server testing anxiety so having a ESA or a Service dog is helpful for me. My dogs have brought me out of my shell and force me to enjoy the little things in life. Therefore I will be forever grateful for my dogs.

I spent my whole life being beat down and told that my mental health is not important. Going from teachers to parents, they all told me mental health isn't important. So I believe my mental health is important because I'm human and I have thoughts. My mental health is important because it affects how I feel and handle stress. I maintain my mental wellness by going to therapy and doctors. I take meds to help with maintain my social, emotional, physical, and mental health. I maintain my mental wellness by doing yoga, and walking. It calms my mind and get me ready and focused for the day.I maintain my mental wellness by talking to a trusted adult or someone I trust.