Jenny Konrath, 2013 FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader

Foster Care Experience
Jenny Konrath entered foster care at age four, in Chicago, Illinois. At age eight, she was moved to Dayton, Ohio, to live with her aunt, as part of an official interstate foster care placement. One of many things that Jenny takes seriously, and is eager to advocate about is what it's like for foster care youth to be caught in the limbo of dual state custody.

Leadership
Jenny Konrath serves a volunteer in the following capacities:

• 2013 Acting Media Spokesperson of OHIO Youth Advisory Board
• Lead Youth Representative on Ohio's statewide Transitional Housing Task Force.
• Montgomery County VISION Board member
•  Selected member of Law and Leadership in Dayton, Ohio 
• Member of UCREW, addressing social needs through the development of social enterprise

Jenny believes in making a difference in the world, by taking action. One area in which she hopes to make a difference is the foster care system. Her advocacy efforts include focusing on achieving equal opportunities for interstate youth who are a part of the foster care system. Jenny is also very passionate about youth who have the option to live with family members. Her own placement with her aunt provided Jennifer with the opportunity to reunite with her younger brother.

Jenny has presented as a youth panelist during the NILA Conference, the Ohio CASA conference, and at local workforce development meetings.

As the only Youth Representative on Ohio's statewide Transitional Housing Task Force, Jenny took the initiative to design a Youth Survey, and to reach out to youth all over the state to invite their insights. This was all Jenny's idea. She scheduled phone calls with young people representing multiple regions of the state, throughout Ohio. This is because when Jenny shared insights on the Statewide Task Force, she wanted to represent the Collective Voice of young people in and from foster care throughout Ohio.

Jenny stands out -- clear and simple. If you give her a task, she gets it done. If you provide her with an opportunity, she makes the very most of that opportunity. If you give her a chance to speak on behalf of foster care youth, she always focuses on the Collective Voice and not just her own.

That's rare. That's exceptional. That's important. From the moment that Jenny entered the advocacy arena, she has been focused on the Big Picture. From the time she took her first statistics class, she has been on the lookout for ways for foster care youth throughout Ohio to share their voice.

Awards / Achievements
In March 2013, Jenny Konrath was chosen, in a statewide competitive process, to participate in Three Days On the Hill. After DC-based training and preparation hosted by CCAI and the Office of Representative Karen Bass, Jenny and 11 other Ohio foster care youth met with:

• Representative Pat Tiberi 
• Representative Mike Turner 
• House Speaker John Boehner 
• Becky Shipp, Health Policy Advisor to the Senate Finance Committee 
• Senator Rob Portman 

In May 2013, Jenny participated in Congressional Youth Shadow Day, and was paired with Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, representing Ohio's 11th District. Participating youth accompanied their Members of Congress to hearings, meetings, floor votes, and other activities throughout the morning. These young people had the opportunity to share their stories with Members of Congress and discuss reforms to the foster care system.

Future Goals
Jenny is currently in the process of submitting her application to several colleges and universities. She is thoughtful, articulate and detail-oriented. Her decisions in terms of higher education and her future career will be practical and knowledge-based. And, whether in a paid or volunteer role, her future efforts will include a focus on improving long-term outcomes for young people in and from the foster care system.

Connecting the Dots Conference makes the front page of the Columbus Dispatch

The 2012 Connecting the Dots Conference for Foster Care Teens and Young Adults was featured on the front page of the Columbus Dispatch on Saturday, August 4, 2012.

CLICK ON EACH IMAGE TO VIEW:

What's Your Motivation and Vision?

One day, a traveler came across three stonecutters working in a quarry. Each was busy cutting a block of stone. Interested to find out what they were working on, he asked each man, one by one, what he was doing.

•  The first man said, “I’m earning my pay: we have to get a certain number by end of day.” 
•  The second man said, “I’m the best stonecutter here; I’m faster and better than others.” 
•  The third man looked up at the sky with vision and purpose, and said,“I’m building a cathedral.”    

What’s Your Stone in the Wall? 
During the July 2012 Ohio Youth Advisory Board meeting, participating youth filled out template with their personal vision for making a difference.

Here are some of their responses...

• "Never forget: "Nothing about us without us" ~ Jackie W.  (ally of the foster care movement)
• "Form a partnership with youth and see them as a resource and learn from them!" ~ Rebecca H. (ally of the foster care movement)
• "Empower youth to develop their skills and get more involved in child welfare. My vision is to have younger youth getting involved so that they can advocate and become well-rounded about the system, so that they can build on the difference we made and make even more and even better changes than we did." ~ Active youth advisory board member

• "To teach children how to dance and also become a social worker. Make sure that all children I encounter have a dream and will never be afraid to follow it, because everyone is important no matter what their dreams are." ~ John D. 
• "To change the outlook of foster care by showing that everyone has a path to walk down with a choice." ~ Katelen B. 
• "Break the status quo, and make the transition from foster care to adulthood as easy and fair as possible. Empower youth to share their voices with boldness. Change the outlook that society has on foster care. We are not where we came from -- we are where we are going!" ~ unsigned
• "Have a plan for all kids coming into foster care so that they will not have to go through what I went through. I want foster youth who have been through the system to step up and make a change for other youth in the system. Because as the vision says, us foster youth can and will make a difference." ~ Latrelle S.

• "I want to be a lawyer so that I can help other foster children find a good home to live in." ~ Terry K.
• "Help all youth find a home with trust by telling adoptive parents that no one is perfect, they just need to be a friend to foster youth in need." ~ Alexander F.
• "To be the best father I can be" (breaking the cycle of foster care) ~ Cory G.
• "Use my story to put myself in people's shoes." ~ Javon J. 
• "Talk to kids that are in the system and try to give them advice in how to deal with certain things and people and how to get to where they want to be in life." ~ Michaela B. 
• "Give other youth a voice and opportunities to speak out." ~ Destiny W. 

• "To change the opinions and view of the foster care system, and help people understand what it is really like" ~ Victoria W.
• "To be a leader and lead by example." ~  Lisa H.
•  "Help others continue to better themselves and never give up, just like I will never give up. My vision is to be a foster care alumni that everyone remembers because they would see that I tried and worked to make a difference for youth in foster care." ~ Dominique J.
• "To make a difference in others' lives and help others who need help." ~ Kaytie R.
• "Be a mother for those who do not have a mother (when I am older)." ~ Kia W.

• "Changing school policies that penalize foster kids when they move from one home to another by not allowing them to continue to participate in team sports" ~ Zachary M.
• "Help foster parents and social workers better serve youth." ~ Thora George
• "Normalizing foster care. Closing the gap between regular teens and foster teens." ~ Alegha P.
• "Change the way things are and the way they have to be. Create a lifestyle of foster care, not a system." ~ Adrian M.
• "Encourage others to be more understanding. Impact children all over the world greatly. Help others help themselves." ~ Brianna C. 

• "To go to college for Criminal Justice, minoring in Music Education. I also plan to start a nonprofit business for underprivileged youth, both in and out of foster care. I hope to mentor youth who have no stable mentor in their lives."  ~ Vinney M.
• "Help myself in order to help others. Talk to other youth and engage them. Go to college and pursue my career. Gain knowledge and progress. Grow!!!" ~ Michael B. 
• "Maker sure every youth in Ohio hears my story and can be encouraged by it. Also, so they can have faith to move on with their life through any trials." ~ De'Stanie W. 
• "Show people that I can change my life and show that I'm not going to be a lifer." - H. C.
• "Gain in knowledge and process, and grow. Keep in touch with all the connections I made and keep networking with the YAB and other groups even after I age out" ~ Dominique J. 

July Ohio Youth Advisory Board Meeting

July YAB Meeting 2012 from Lisa Dickson

Ohio YAB Presentation for ODJFS All Staff Meeting

Marcus Henry, Derek Biggers, Director Colbert and Alex McFarland

Updates from Statewide and County Youth Advisory Boards

April Ohio YAB Meeting 2012

View more PowerPoint from Lisa Dickson

Stark County YAB: Life After Foster Care

From the time of the Stark County youth advisory board’s inception, foster care youth involved in the board have expressed the desire to improve outcomes for young people "aging out" of foster care.

Stark County foster care youth have been recognized on a national basis:
• 2010 FosterClub All-Star, Jeremie Austin-Brown
• 2010 FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader, Rico Rushin

In 2011, the Stark County Youth Advisory Board sponsored a training called "Finding Your Way to Success: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty." This training was a five-week series, and 28 local foster care youth/young adults attended. This training was a huge success, and will be repeated in 2012.

Stark County foster care alumna Richard Rushin presented at a South Dakota conference of Reclaiming Youth International.

In 2012, the Stark County YAB has invested in:

• Purchasing voice recorders so the youth can practice public speaking, and prepare for an upcoming speaking engagement in April: Presenting to 165 Children Services' workers at Stark County's Spring Staff Meeting.
• Purchasing a laptop for the Board

In the words of Julie Hayslip, one of Stark County's adult supporters, "This is our most active excited board ever! Our youth not only meet on Fridays from 4-6pm but they have chosen to start meeting on their own every Monday at our local library!! They are working on business cards, they are putting together a brochure and writing a formal request to attend the NILA conference!


"They are planning on sponsoring a Life Book Training for the kids in custody. They have elected officers. They officially have a YAB room here at our agency and we are going to get furniture and wall art and even have a YAB logo they created that they want painted on the wall.

"They are also interested in starting a mentoring program for younger kids in care. This is on their To Do list!"

Representatives from the Stark County Youth Advisory Board were recently featured on a Channel 3 News story that discussed the struggles youth have when they emancipate.

Lorain County YAB: Leadership Lorain County

Lorain County foster care youth/young adults and supportive staff have a powerful history of statewide leadership including serving in the following positions for the Ohio Youth Advisory Board:

• 2009 Ohio YAB Treasurer Laura Johnson
• 2009 Ohio YAB Parliamentarian James Burge
• 2009 Secretary Katrina Gallimore
• 2010 Ohio YAB Vice President Cieria Rodriguez-Toney
• 2010 Ohio YAB Treasurer, James Burge
• 2010 Ohio YAB Treasurer Krystal Robinson
• 2011 Ohio YAB President Cieria Rodriguez-Toney

Foster care youth and young adults in Lorain County continue to live out that legacy of leadership on a local level...

In 2011, Lorain County Leadership was involved in the following local activities:

• Organizing a donation of holiday ornaments/purchased ornaments/made ornaments
• Volunteering their time at a local nursing home at the holidays to hand out the ornaments
• Participating in the Lorain County Children Services Holiday party for children in foster care. They handed out presents and helped organize children to see Santa at the party.
• Developing a Holiday party for all of the Independent Living youth to participate in.

The Board developed their own FaceBook page, and organized for presenters to come to the agency and teach Leadership skills to all of Lorain County foster care youth (LaTasha Watts and Cedric Brown).

On a statewide/regional level,  Lorain County foster care youth and young adults participated in the 2011 Career and Entrepreneurship Event for Foster Care Youth and Alumni. They also attended the NE Ohio FCAA Thanksgiving Dinner and encouraged many other youth to participate in this activity.

 Upcoming activities of Lorain County Leadership include the following:

• Participating in the “Wear Blue to Work” campaign to draw awareness to National Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Participating in the development, creation and implementation of a flash mob during the upcoming local family fun day at the mall. This flash mob will include caseworkers, foster care youth and young adults, friends, family, and other supporters/advocates for foster youth. They will be doing a dance. All of the members will have blue shirts to draw attention to Stop Child Abuse.

Current initiatives also include:

• Participating and assisting in the upcoming Purple Project conference. Youth have been asked for input on some of the ideas for the conference and will be volunteering to work the registration tables.

• Researching colleges/vocational programs and setting up college visits for all of the youth to participate in.

• Participating in discussion about recruiting foster parents for teens. Have identified the necessary characteristics of these individuals. Currently brainstorming regarding what to develop and implement to be successful on recruiting foster parents for teens.

• Researching famous people that have been in foster care to help other youth see that they are not alone. Plan on having a formal time to share this information with the bigger group of IL youth.

• Discussion of sending some of the Youth Leadership members to the NILA conference.

Summit County YAB: Leaders of Tomorrow

Summit County foster care youth and young adults aspire to be the "Leaders of Tomorrow."

Participation and involvement in the Summit County Youth Advisory Board benefits foster care youth, and young adults with a foster care history, by building camaraderie and facilitating an atmosphere of empowerment and improved self-esteem.

One active member of this board found it easier to adjust to her new adoptive home, due to having positive support from her peers. Another young person described YAB involvement as “the experience of a lifetime.”

Through involvement on the board, foster care youth have opportunities that they would not have otherwise. They are viewed as difference-makers, rather than simply as clients or recipients of services. During their presentation at a local CASA Dinner, for example, they were considered “honored guests.”

In the meantime, local organizations who invite Summit County’s “Leaders of Tomorrow” to present at their events are impressed by the fact that youth conduct themselves with poise and maturity, address each question with honest and insightful answers, and express appreciation to front-line staff and CASA volunteers for the work that they do...

In 2011, the Leaders of Tomorrow were involved in:

•  Leading monthly trainings for all court staff
•  Speaking engagement during Adoption Advocacy Day in Columbus  
•  Presenting for agency staff during the Placement and Permanency Planning Retreat in December

Several of their members have also participated in the Crossover Youth Permanency Model discussion at Summit County Juvenile Court. 

Recent activities of the Leaders of Tomorrow include:

• Regular trainings at their local juvenile court for CASA volunteers
• Foster parent training for Summit County and two private agencies

The leadership team is currently preparing for:

• An April speaking engagement for the Child and Family Awareness Symposium
• A presentation for a May foster parent conference
• A June training for all the social services staff at Summit County Children Services  (caseworkers, supervisors, social work assistants, etc)
• A speaking engagement for the Child & Family Awareness Symposium next month.

The Leaders of Tomorrow are being honored by the United Way of Summit County in April as a part of their volunteer celebration.

They were also chosen as a possible recipient of a grant through Leadership Akron, a collective group of active community stakeholders.

Fairfield County Youth Advisory Board

Link to more photos.

Congratulations, Fairfield County Youth Advisory Board Officers:

• President Kaytie Roger
• Vice President Kia Williams
• Media Spokesperson Tyler Reigle
• Secretary Shyanna Fritz
• Parliamentarian Destiny Williams
• Treasurer Cory Griffin

Congratulations, Alex McFarland

Congratulations to Alex McFarland for being selected to serve on the inaugural National Foster Youth and Alumni Policy Council, headed up by FosterClub and Foster Care Alumni of America.

Alex currently serves as Legislative Liaison of Foster Care Alumni of America Ohio chapter and Vice President of the Ohio Youth Advisory Board.

The majority of council members are between the ages of 16 and 24 at the start of their service. Two seats are reserved specifically for older alumni.

Requirements for Eligibility:

• Must have spent time in out-of-home care (may include foster care, residential treatment, kinship care, legal guardianship)
• Demonstrate capacity to participate in a leadership position involving child welfare policy (for example, through participation on a Youth Advisory Board or Youth Council)
• Be able to articulate ideas and solutions regarding youth issues and concerns 
• Have the ability to interact constructively with peers in a group setting

Alex's Qualifications:

Alexander McFarland has served as President of Ohio's statewide foster care youth advocacy board (Ohio YAB) for two years. He currently serves as Vice President.

When the Ohio YAB lost its funding and supportive staff, Alex immediately began advocating for alternative funds, and succeeded in attaining a grant for 25K that currently supports the continued existence of not only the statewide board, but county and regional foster youth advisory boards as well. Alex has traveled throughout the state of Ohio to help create and develop youth advisory boards..

Alex has served as the Legislative Liaison for the Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America for three years. He participated in the 2008 FCAA Alumni Leadership Institute and the 2009 anniversary of Chafee funding. Alex was chosen by Ohio's First Lady to represent the needs of Ohio's foster care youth on Governor Strickland's 2010 Steering Committee to support Youth and Young Adults in Transition. In 2010, Alex was chosen as a FosterClub Outstanding Young Leader.

Alex is known throughout the state for his vision and determination. He testified before Ohio legislators to advocate for the restoration of the state Independent Living Allocation. He arranged for Ohio foster care youth, alumni and allies to visit 24 legislator’s offices on April 28, 2009, in order to promote Ready to Launch, a reminder to Ohio legislators of a front-end investment in transitional youth.

Alex recently met with the Ohio Attorney General on December 15, 2011 to encourage his office to partner with the Ohio Board of Regents in order to fund a full-time position to support Ohio Reach, a statewide initiative to increase the number of foster care youth who enroll in and graduate from college.

2012 and 2013 Ohio YAB Strategic Plan

On January, 14, 2012, during the Ohio Youth Advisory Board Officers Retreat, generously hosted by the Dave Thomas Foundation, Ohio YAB officers crafted their two-year strategic plan:

• 2012 - 2013 Ohio YAB Strategic Plan

On January 19, 2012, during the first quarterly Ohio YAB statewide meeting, brainstorming sessions included youth/young adult representatives from Athens, Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Greene, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Montgomery, Portage, Summit and Vinton counties.

Their insights are documented in these Youth Proposed Action Steps related to each of the Strategic Plan categories:

• Education
• Workforce Development
• Finance and Resource Management
• Housing
• Advocacy Opportunities
• Youth Voice in Court
• State and County Youth Advisory Board Development ~ coming soon...

Timeline of Youth Advisory Boards in Ohio

 Timeline regarding the establishment of foster care Youth Advisory Boards in Ohio:

• 2004: VISION in Montgomery County began Voicing Independent Solutions in Our Neighborhoods

• 2005: TAGyc was born, Cuyahoga County's Teen Advisory Group Youth Council

• 2006-2007: Establishment of the OHIO Youth Advisory Board (Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio)

• January 11, 2008, Groundwork to establish a future Stark County YAB

• January 25, 2008, Groundwork to establish a future Lorain County YAB

• July 15, 2008, Official birth date of the Mahoning and Stark County Youth Advisory Boards 

• July 22, 2008, ACTION in Athens was born: "Athens County Together in Overcoming Negatives"

*Please note: We are still working to determine the exact dates that Franklin, Hamilton and Summit County YABs were established.

**Counties that are currently working to establish a local Youth Advisory Board within the next year include: Allen, Lucas, and Portage Counties.


***Counties that face challenges in establishing a county Youth Advisory Board but wish to partner with others to establish a Regional Board include Greene County (who formerly partnered with Montgomery County to participate in the SW Youth Advisory Board).