Hi FosterClub!! I hope you are all doing well. I've been reading the message boards and there is a lot of good stuff on there. So if you haven't visited those, check them out! :) Anyways, I just wanted to update you all on some things that are happening this month for me. On March 11, I will be participating on a panel with other youth at an event to recruit foster parents and other supports for foster youth, including supports to help families before the kids have to enter foster care. It's a new program that my county is trying to implement to bring families and communities together to keep families from being separated.

I think this is a really important thing and could really work. I'm really excited to participate in it. In preparation for the event, the county has asked me to talk to reporters from a couple newspapers to bring more media attention to the event in hopes that more people will come. I've been in 2 other newspapers when I was a senior in high school, to share my story after I received the Horatio Alger Association Scholarship, which was a big deal.

So I'm not nervous to be asked prying questions from the reporters because I've had experience before and I also had extensive training from FosterClub on how to share my story effectively and strategically. But I will let you all know when those articles come out! If you live in Colorado, look for me soon! :) And finally, I was asked to do another Keynote Speech for another county in Southern Colorado on March 22. It's for a Foster Parent Appreciation dinner, very similar to the one I did in October. I'm very honored to share my story to foster parents because they give me inspiration for opening their hearts and homes to so many kids in need. As you can see, this month is going to be very busy and important, as well as fun!

Every time, I can use my voice to bring awareness to the system and the issues revolving around it, I am truly honored to represent all my brothers and sisters who can't use their voices yet. OH! And I'm also seriously dying from the constant snow that keeps deciding to drop from the sky on such inopportune moments. It's officially March, so I think the snow needs to go away completely until next winter when I will be in NYC for graduate school (but stay in CO please!) I am very excited for the Colorado summer: sunny, hot, and full of water parks and lemonade! Ok enough of me rambling.

Until next time, email me if you just want to talk or ask questions: [email protected].

Adios!

Kita