Emily feels she has made good choices so far, has had good experiences in foster care, and is well on her way to achieving her goals. With a 3.92 grade point average, high school graduation is with honors, then it’s on to community college and university in pursuit of a degree in paramedic science with a goal of getting a job anywhere so she can travel, experience different parts of our country, and help people everywhere.
Emily volunteers in many areas. She is a youth leader at her local church, speaking out at youth services with sermons and mentoring as well as actively participating in church conferences. In high school she is a Troy Buddies mentor and confidence builder for freshman and is president of Wyoming Advocates for Youth, a local foster care group.
In summer 2011 she represented Wyoming’s foster youth at the NYTD conference in Washington D.C. and returned determined to get more involved in foster care causes in her own state. She came to understand that Youth are the most valuable source for foster care success because their voices are the ones that shed light and reality on what is great about the system and what truly does not work.
Emily also has a passion for music. She plays nearly every musical instrument and with her musical talent she has earned college credit for participation in a local college band and pep band. In high school she has participated in band, orchestra, and volunteered in the elementary school’s music program, a project close to her heart.
As a giver of individualized attention, Emily gives back to her community in honor of the help she’s received in her life. In foster care for 3 years, Emily attempts to pay for many of her own needs with jobs and monetary responsibility while also supported by her foster mother, Paula, who she calls mom.
She feels that her time in foster care was blessed with great foster homes and case workers and credits her foster care teams with so much passion for her success that her only option was to be all she can be. “I was able to learn what family truly is through my church and those who I met along the way through foster care.”
She is thankful for the support she has received and has begun planning for life on her own, paying special attention to keep strong all the relationships she has formed in care.
