Michael Colbert, Champion of Change

The Ohio chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America and the OHIO Youth Advisory Board, in partnership with the Montgomery County ADAMHS Board and PCSAO, were proud to celebrate Michael Colbert as Ohio’s 2013 Champion of Change.



Date: Saturday, December 14, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Location: ADAMHS Board for Montgomery County, Ohio 409 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH 45402

Agenda
 I. Welcome
 II. Introductory Remarks
 III. Words of Appreciation for Our Champion
 IV. Open Mike: Opportunity for Participants to Share
 V. Awards Ceremony
 VI. Photographs and Informal Networking

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.

Jennifer Justice gives a shout-out to the OHIO YAB in November First Friday

A Message from OFC Deputy Director Jennifer Justice – November 1, 2013 

If you’re like me, you probably could use more time. Time to get all your work done, get your house in order, run errands, get to the gym, read a book and, of course, more time to spend with family and friends.

I especially was thinking about the concept of time after I had the opportunity to attend the October meeting of the Ohio Youth Advisory Board (OYAB). Each quarter, youth who are or have been in agency custody gather from across the state to establish connections, discuss their experiences and brainstorm solutions to the problems they share. Thank you to the adult supporters who transport these youth and participate in concurrent independent living program discussions. I know this is a significant time commitment, and I am sure the youth in your care appreciate that you have made their participation a priority.

To conclude OYAB meetings, each youth recounts something “new” and something “good” as a reminder to keep moving forward, because their lives have great potential. At last month’s meeting, an older teen wanted everyone to know that she was being adopted and would not have to leave her foster family when she turned 18. Another teen announced that he soon would turn 18 and become independent. He was both excited and scared about being on his own, and he hoped he could manage to stay in high school. Other youth described their new part-time jobs, their baby’s birthday, and accomplishments in such extracurriculars as band and sports.

It never fails that I walk away from these meetings incredibly impressed by these young people but also aware that, for those still in care, we must ensure that they leave with the permanent connections they need to be productive adults.

Jenny Konrath, 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 roles: (a.) Montgomery County VISION Board member, (b.) Acting Media Spokesperson of OHIO Youth Advisory Board, (c.) Selected member of Law and Leadership in Dayton, OH, which focuses on teaching legal awareness, (d.) Member of UCREW, designed to address social needs through the development of social enterprise (e.) Lead Youth Representative on Ohio's statewide Transitional Housing Task Force.

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 JohnBoehner

- 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.

Ohio's very own John Davis - former President of the OHIO Youth Advisory Board

A successful life after foster care
Xenia Daily Gazette, 11/1/2013.

BEAVERCREEK — John Davis does not claim that living in a foster care group home for three and a half years was the ideal place to grow up. He does, however, acknowledge that Greene County Children Services’ Alpha Group Home was safer and more stable than the situation in which he had formerly been. He also says that his time there helped shape him into who he is today.

“Any time I have a chance to explain where I come from, I do,” said John. “Overall, living in the group home was a great experience. The staff tried their best to make it like a home and I’m very appreciative of that.” Davis’ former home life, he had witnessed the effects of substance abuse, and had personally experienced physical abuse and neglect.

After being in the custody of Greene County Children Services since 2009, John turned 18 last November, joining the ranks of children who have emancipated from the foster care system without being adopted. According to multiple studies, a majority of these children end up homeless and/or unemployed due to the lack of a stable family support system. In addition, they are less likely than the general population to finish high school, and they rarely graduate from college or earn more than minimum wage if they are employed. Nearly a third are incarcerated at some point.

John is determined to not become one of these disheartening statistics, and he is well on his way to succeeding. He is currently attending Gillette College in Gillette, Wyo. He got there, in part, by way of earning a performing arts scholarship from Energy City Voices, the college’s show choir.

“I became interested in singing and dancing during my sophomore year at Beavercreek High School,” said John. “I talked a friend into trying out for a talent show with me. We did a dance duet. After seeing my performance, members of the school show choir asked me to try out so I did and I got accepted.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Davis had soon formed his own dance troupe called B-Fierce. He also signed up for acting classes and performed in musicals including Fame and Anything Goes. Extracurricular school groups he became involved in included the A Capella Choir, Peer Listening Group and Gay-Straight Alliance.

Along the way, John also used his developing leadership skills to become the President of the Overcoming Hurdles in Ohio Youth Advisory Board (OHIO YAB), a group that seeks to influence policies that affect youth in foster care. In this capacity, from October 2012 through August 2013, John spoke at a variety of conferences focused on child welfare.

When he decided to audition for the Energy City Voices scholarship, he got plenty of support: his former high school show choir director let him use the choir’s performance space and a Children Services staff member played piano.

Following his first-ever airplane flight, John began his college experience by attending Energy City Voices’ summer camp in mid-August. The camp is described on the college’s website as “just what you need to share and expand your talents, all among the beauty and nature of the Big Horn Mountains.” John described the experience as “tons of fun.”

He has easily settled into dorm life, something he found he was well prepared for from living in the group home with eight other boys for three and a half years. He shares a dorm apartment with three other members of the show choir, an arrangement he calls “a blessing.” While it was his singing and dancing talent that won him the scholarship, John is actually majoring in Social Sciences.

Becoming a choreographer is his dream, but as a back-up plan, his goal is to become a social worker. “Dance is my outlet but social work is something that’s also very important to me,” he explained. “I would love to work with children and help them through some of the same life struggles that I’ve been through. The Children Services workers in Greene County actually spent the time to work with each individual kid in the group home and focus on our individual needs. They all led me in the right direction in their own ways.”

Congratulations, 2014 OHIO Youth Advisory Board Officers

Congratulations, 2014 OHIO Youth Advisory Board Officers...

• President Alissa Mitchell ~ Stark County
• Vice President Dominique Jefferson ~ Cuyahoga County
• Media Spokesperson Charles Scott ~ Franklin County
• Treasurer Destiny Hayes ~ Lucas County
• Parliamentarian Dorothy Dodson ~ Lorain County
• Co-Secretary Jessika Cowart ~ Allen County
• Co-Secretary Elisa Aguilar ~ Lucas County

2013 Ohio CASA Conference

During the 19th annual Ohio CASA conference, representatives from the OHIO Youth Advisory Board participated in a workshop/youth panel on the topic of "Resources for Youth Transitioning from Foster Care to Living On Their Own."

Link to more photos. 

Partners for Forever Families Symposium, Sept. 19-20, 2013

Teen Advisory Group youth council (TAGyc), Cleveland's youth advisory Board, did a wonderful job during the third annual Partners for Forever Families Symposium.

Here's a link to more photos.

OHIO YAB Tech Retreat, Part 2

OHIO YAB Tech Retreat - Part 1

Statewide Quarterly OHIO Youth Advisory Board Meeting, July 2013

Youth brainstormed about the following topics:

• OHIO Youth Advisory Board Handbook
• Topics for Youth Housing Focus Group during Connecting the Dots Conference
• Topics for Youth Panel during Connecting the Dots Conference

Representatives from the National Foster  Youth Action Network came to present. Youth voted that they would prefer to be allies of NFYAN, rather than officially join the network at this time. Youth expressed the desire to support the efforts of NFYAN by sharing toolkits and training materials.

July 2013 OHIO Youth Advisory Board Meeting

The July quarterly meeting of the Ohio Youth Advisory Board will include youth representatives from Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Lorain, Miami and Montgomery Counties. The following topics are scheduled to be discussed:

 

2013 july yab meeting from Lisa Dickson

2013 Purple Project Conference

Representatives from TAGyc, Cuyahoga County's Teen Advisory Group youth council, participated as volunteers in assisting with the facilitation of the 2013 Purple Project Conference.

Stark County Youth Advisory Board Retreat

On Saturday, June 1st, Alex McFarland and Lisa Dickson traveled to Stark County to facilitate the Stark County Youth Advisory Board Retreat. Participating youth were insightful and articulate. As part of their follow-up, the Stark County Youth Advisory Board updated their Constitution and Code of Conduct.

More photos from Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day

OHIO YAB John Davis speaks at Ohio CASA Day

On April 30, OHIO YAB President John Davis shared a keynote during the third annual CASA Day in Ohio.

Link to more photos.

Jenny Konrath and Sarah Callihan participate in Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day

On May 21, participating Members of Congress were paired with 40 foster care alumni (ages 18-22) from the Member’s Congressional 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.

Kudos to Jenny Konrath and Sarah Callihan for being chosen to participate in this exciting opportunity. Jenny Konrath was paired with Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, representing Ohio's 11th District.  Sarah Callihan was paired with Congressman Steve Stivers, representing Ohio's 15th District.

Foster Youth Shadow Day Description: Members of Congress are paired with foster youth from their districts. They spend the morning together, from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm.

Representative Marcia L. Fudge posted on her FaceBook page that: May is National Foster Care Month and I had the pleasure of having Jenny Konrath, a young lady from the Dayton area shadow me as part of Foster Youth Shadow Day in Washington. Let me tell you some amazing things about Jenny. She spent 12 years in foster care and is currently a junior at Alter High School. She’s involved in several sports and is an active member of the Ohio Youth Advisory Board and the VISION Board. I enjoyed taking her to an Education and the Workforce Committee hearing with me and motivating her to pursue her dream of becoming an attorney focusing on legislation and advocacy. Yes you can, Jenny. You are that remarkable!

OHIO YAB Quarterly Meeting, April 2013

The April OHIO Youth Advisory Board meeting was facilitated by:

• John Davis, President, Greene County 
• Shatasha Nelson, Treasurer, Stark County

Three Days On the Hill

2013 three days on the hill from Lisa Dickson

Three Days On the Hill - Celebration and Departure

Three Days On the Hill - Day Three: Legislative Visits and Fostering Change

During their visit with Becky Shipp, Health Policy Advisory to the Senate Finance Commitee, youth wondered whether there might be another way to encourage states to comply with NYTD other than cutting Chafee funds.

They worried that youth themselves will be punished by this, and their outcomes negatively impacted.

The young people greatly enjoyed this visit, and felt very "heard" and understood by Becky Shipp. Dauntea Sledge coordinated the ending of the meeting, during which each young person shared what they appreciated most about the visit. It was a powerful and beautiful experience.

The final visit of our trip was with Senator Rob Portman's new aide -- she was wowed by the young people. So much so that she spent additional time with them, beyond that which was already scheduled. She also arranged for them to be able to watch live Senate hearings.

Shalita O'Neale and the Fostering Change Network hosted an evening banquet to celebrate the success of the OHIO Youth Advisory Board's first trip to DC. Supporting organizations/alumni in attendance included Danielle Jennings of Blessed Haven and Chris Chmielewski of Foster Focus Magazine.

Three Days On the Hill - Day Two: Legislative Visits

After their training, youth representatives of the OHIO Youth Advisory Board identified four areas to learn more about during their time in DC:

• What is the role of the federal government when it comes to transitional housing for youth "aging out" of foster care? 
• Does the Uninterrupted Scholars Act address the differing number of credits required to graduate from high schools, and how this can negatively impact foster youth when they transfer from one high school to another? 
• Could Title IV-E funds ever be expanded to allow them to be used for the training of youth -- not just adults? 
• Is there another way to promote compliance with NTYD besides having states lose part of their Chafee dollars for noncompliance? Could there be another penalty? Rather than one that risks negatively impacting the success of foster youth? 

It was very educational for youth to be able to dialogue with federal officials. And the representatives, in turn, valued discussions with our young people.

1.) U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi's office was already supportive and aware of the issues that youth discussed -- with one exception:

• They were not aware that the flexibility of IV-E funds still would not allow them to be used to train youth -- only to train adults. 
•  One OHIO YAB Officers, Tabitha Copas, compared this to the game of "Telephone" -- her question was: "Why train a foster parent or caseworker to train youth about independent living? Why not train youth directly themselves, by excellent, talented trainers?" 
• Tabitha added that, as it is, busy caseworkers do this in addition to all their other responsibilities, and the quality and consistency of training for youth differs throughout Ohio. 

2.) U.S. Congressman Michael Turner from Dayton took a special interest in discussing housing for transitional youth. He asked many questions of young people about their personal experiences, and mentioned that he was meeting with a representative from his local Metropolitan Housing Authority later in the afternoon, and wanted to talk about setting aside housing specifically for foster youth / alumni and making them a priority.

3.) Representative John Boehner's office was the third and final visit of the day. We appreciated the Speaker of the House's willingness to set aside time during this period of busy House negotiation in order to arrange for the youth to meet with a representative from his office. The youth were articulate and presented well and we were very proud of them.

Three Days On the Hill - Day One: Training

Youth training was facilitated by:

• The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) 
• Casey Family Programs 
• The Office of Representative Karen Bass 
• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 
• The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare 
• The Maryland Foster Youth Resource Center 

Youth participants learned about the Congressional Caucus on Foster Care, and federal funding sources for both child welfare and housing support.

January OHIO YAB Quarterly Meeting 2013

Morning Brainstorming Topics for Youth Participants:

1. What Teachers and Guidance Counselors Need to Know: What do middle/high school staff need to know about the experiences /resources related to foster youth? 
2. National Foster Youth Advocacy Network: Does the OHIO YAB want to join their network? Are there training topics that we’d like for them to provide for us?   (undecided by participants; OYAB Officers will make the final decision)
3. Developing A Statewide IL Curriculum: What were your most helpful hands-on experiences to prepare you for adulthood? What things did no one ever tell you, but you wish they had?
4. Youth-Developed Workshop on Relationships: Insights/role-plays for today’s foster youth. 
5. Chafee Funds: Youth suggest Best Practices in utilizing this funding allocation. 
6. Housing: Youth discuss Barriers and Best Practices.

2013 OHIO YAB Officers Retreat

Many thanks to the Dave Thomas Foundation for generously hosting the 2013 OHIO Youth Advisory Board Officers Retreat.