What do you want
to tell adults of America about foster kids?
Congratulations to all our contest
winners!
If you are listed here and
haven't yet received your prize,
please e-mail contests@fosterclub.com
or call 503-717-1552
1st Place (TIE)
Tonya F.,
Columbia, KY, 16 years old
Janice C.,
Jacksonville, FL
2nd Place (TIE)
Stevon M., Louisville, KY 19 years old, 5 yrs in care
Camelia F., Christmas Valley, OR, 15 years old, 13 years in care
3rd Place (TIE)
Michael M., age13, Eugene, OR, In foster care since 1997
Krystal F., Jacksonville, FL
Chaz S., age 17, Eugene, OR , 4 years in care
Antwana F., Jacksonville, FL
Read their winning entries below!
1st Place:
Tonya F., Columbia, KY, 16 years old
My name is Tonya and I have been in placements for almost eight
years. I am almost seventeen years old and ever since I was
ten I have had a hard life being away from my family.
I lost my mother at the age of five on my birthday exacly on
Mothers Day. So, as the days flew by it seemed that my life
would eventually end. So, my words or shall I say my reuest to
you all about families and mothers is about to be told.
All kids have had problems and only a few of them is getting
help in placements. Luckily, I am one of those kids to get support
and help from other people. Kids in these placements don't have
a family to go to, so they request a foster home or group home.
At first they may act out and be mean because they are afraid,
but they would soon lighten up and realize that even though you
don't have a flesh and blood family, you should still count those
as the family of your dreams and would always be #1 in your hear.
I am one to say that foster parents are like real parents and
they
don't have to carry you for 9 months just to be a real mother.
A mother is someone who would rather be with you than anywhere
else.
A mother is someone to devote their time and life just to love
you
and care for you.
A mother is someone who reads you stories and tells you "I
love
you", instead of running off and being with drugy people
or selling your body.
I have experienced and and everything that a sin could possibly
be
and now that I know I am safe and secured and I know that I don't
have to do everything to keep myself and other alive, I am happy.
I would really appreciate it if any of you would take the time
to
read this and give me a chance at the foster home and be a mother
to me, that I have never had.
Thank you, for your time to read this and good luck.
1st Place:
Janice C., Jacksonville, FL
Hi, my name is Janice and I'm
a foster kid.
I've been in care for at least 2 years.
What I want to tell adults of
America about foster kids is that:
I'm very thankful that they
gave me a place to stay. Plus doing all the work that my sorry
parents are suppose to be doing.
They have opened their doors
just to make us happy.
I'm so thankful for everything they do for me because, I once
was just an orphan until one day my dream came true.
The Lord put me with people
that will take the time out and see what's wrong or be there
to talk to me. When I'm having trouble in school. They can
be there to talk. They also will be there when I'm having boy
trouble and they can talk with me about them.
Some of the foster kids just
don't realize how good they have it being in foster care. To
tell you the truth I'm glad I'm in foster care, because I don't
have to be treated like a dog in the pound. I can be treated
like a normal person.
I know that I'm not the best
child in the world, but I try my best to
appreciate what is being given to me.
I know if I was home I wouldn't get treated like this, because
my mother is dead, but she was always on time, but I have a sorry
excuse for a father.
That's why I pray to God and
ask him to send me a white/or black family that wants a girl
my age and has my hopes and dreams.
My sister always makes fun of me because I want to be adopted.
There is nothing funny when
you want a family that love's you like their own. I hope my dreams
come true. Sometimes I ask myself if I keep on writing stories
and showing people my Work I will be noticed someday for my famous
works.
I just wanted to say thank you
foster parents
for all the time you've opened your hearts and doors for kids
you don't even know. May God give you many blessings and be
with you always. Thanks for giving me a place to call home And
parents that care about how I live my life in this world today.
2nd Place:
Stevon M., Louisville, KY 19 years old, 5 yrs in care
There are a lot of great things,
and a lot of ways to express my
feelings towards Foster Care. And how it touches the lives of
others around
us.
My personal experience with
foster care was somewhat brief. I
started in foster care, when I was at the age of fifteen. Of
course not by
choice, but by law. At the time there was no one else that would
step up.
So unfortunately, I had to stay in foster care. I remember it
like it was
yesterday, meeting the Gibsons, who live in Louisville, Kentucky.
Oh! They
were wonderful people, with good hearts, patience, and open arms.
So that
relived some of the tension I had going through my mind.
After about a year went by,
I could picture the Gibsons like family.
Even though at times I always thought about going and being home.
I felt
like if there's any place I would rather be, ouside of family
and friends
homes then it would have to be with the Gibsons. Not only did
they make me
feel like I was at home, but they showed me love, especially
when no one
else did. I want to give special thanks to the Gibsons, and
God bless them
and their home!
There are a lot of Foster Care
parents, who really do care, and want
to help other children like myself, become successful in the
future. Now I
know "some" Foster Care parents and programs are not
what they're cracked up
to be. But I look at it like this, everyone's imperfect, and
my heart
applauds every person(s) who try to make a difference in our
society, by
accepting a child or children in their home. I hope for all
the right
reasons. Not for money, or any other reason. Believe me there
are some
like that out there. It's like you go from one dysfunctional
family to the
next. We need to get those ones that don't really care; out!
To all the Foster Care families,
and soon to be, look at the child
like s/he's your own. Whether male or female, black or white,
or even the
disabled who need a lot more attention than some, it doesn't
matter the
cost. The children depend on "you" when there was
no one else who would
step up to the plate. Just a little advice. If you're a Foster
Care
parent, or considering to be, then don't half-step, just do it,
like Nike.
Do it out of love, concern, and have some patience, and determination,
when
you do it, because you will need it. And if you believe in God,
then pray
to him for help, when things may get a little rough for you and
your Foster
child.
2nd Place:
Camelia F., Christmas Valley, OR, 15 years old, 13 years in care
What I wish I could say to the
adults of America, are, there are a lot of children in foster care who really want to live in a permanent
home.
To be able to call someone mother and father again. Some of
these children
have lost so much, and one person could bring so much back into
their lives.
You could make them feel that they are someone. And people do
love them.
Also that some people who aren't able to have children, there
are lots of
children waiting to be adopted. You could call them your own.
It doesn't
matter what race, size, age, or anything. What matters is that
a child
somewhere is really looking for a mother and father, someone
to call their
own, and you could be that one. And not only would it make that
child
happy, it might even make you happy, and you may even find who
you really
are, with the help of a child. Even if you are a foster parent
already,
what I want to say is that these children need love. That's
what has to
come first.
3rd Place: Michael M., age13,
Eugene, OR, In foster care since 1997
I think it's very good what
some adults are doing for the kids in america. Like giving
them clothes, food, and shelter.
I would say for example, my
foster parents give me all that stuff like clothes & toys.
I just wanted to tell you what a good job they are doing.
Thanks to all you foster parents
out there!
3rd Place:
Krystal F., Jacksonville, FL
Hello my name is Krystal F.
and I am a foster child.
I've been in care for 3-years. I'm 14 years old.
Well the thing that I would like to tell adults of America about
us foster
kids is that we are normal.
The reason I say that is because a lot of "normal living" peoples
look at
foster kids like we have problems.
I kinda understand why they look at us that way the because some
kids acted up, but then again, think of this, they didn't have
a family to teach then how to act right.
Another reason I say that we are not treated normal is when we
go to school a lot of
people will pick on us or say stuff like "at least I know
my mom" or
something like that.
I wish that people would treat and talk to us foster kids normally.
Because we are normal !!!!!
And for whoever reads this I just want to say thank you for taking
the time
out to read what I have to say. And I just thank GOD for my
life even though
I'm in Foster Care.
3rd Place:
Chaz S., age 17, Eugene, OR , 4 years in care
There
are lots of types of parents in America that feel for foster
kids. There are those who care, those who want to care, and those who
don't. I speak to whichever feel sorry for us. For the adults who see us
and say "They must of had a rough life, I feel sorry for them." Well,
don't. The reason for foster care is to take a child with difficult
problems in their life and put them in a safe place. I'm happy where I'm
at. If it weren't for my foster parents I wouldn't have learned the
attitude and respect to give to others. They have taught me a lot and I've
enjoyed living with them. I'm happy where I stand.
For the adults who "feel" what I'm saying, Thank You.
3rd Place: Antwana F., Jacksonville, FL
What
I Want to Tell the Adults of America About Kids in Foster Care
I wish I could tell the adults of America
that kids in foster care are
real people. I say this because most adults who are getting involved in this
organization are in it for the money only, and not for the consideration of
the kids. Kids who are in foster care are pretty decent kids, they don;t
have that guiding light to see them through, and that guiding light is the
adults of America. Without it, we kids are lost.
Kids in foster care want a home where they are treated as if they are
the birth child. They want love that their siblings never once showed them.
Most of all, they want someone to show then that they are somebody and that
they have a reason to live.
What I most want to tell the adults of America about foster care is
accept us as you accept your own, because we want to be loved too, we have
the right to be loved.