2009 Outstanding Young Leaders

Daniela Nichitean, spent 9 years in Arizona’s foster care system. Daniela is a student, a music lover, a movie fanatic, and a foster kid... Despite the hardships she faced in her 9 years in foster care, Daniela has grown into an independent and successful alumna of the foster care system,... Read more

Shaden has been in and out of care since age 10, being placed in 4 shelters and 3 foster homes. Shaden's quest for permanence ended in 2008 when he met his permanent family. He is currently attending the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and is working part time in the... Read more

Matt was in foster care from age 14 until he aged out of care at age 18. His first placements did not work out but he did reach permanency with the last foster home he lived in. He goes home on holidays and other breaks and considers these parents his... Read more

Agnes spent most of her teen years in foster care, going through five different places before emancipating. Prior to entering care she was homeless. She states, “At the age of six I was homeless. While most girls were playing Barbie or dress-up in their mother’s closet, I was playing in... Read more

Jamare` entered the system when he was 10 years old. He moved around to several placements including a group home, shelter, behavioral treatment facility and with family members. Jamare finished high school as Valedictorian of his class and won several leadership, honor and sports awards. Now in college at Northeast... Read more

Josephine and her siblings were placed in separate foster homes when entering care. Although she was never placed in a residential setting, her siblings were. Josephine was recommended for Independent Living the summer before her senior year of high school. She obtained an apartment, was employed and an active participant... Read more

Ashley is a current foster youth participating in the Subsidized Independent Living Program. She entered the foster care system at the age of fourteen and has experienced eight different placements in three years. Ashley currently lives many states away from her four siblings, whom she wishes lived closer. Ashley experienced... Read more

After spending several years in foster care, experiencing a failed adoption and finding himself on his own at the age of eighteen, Eric Lulow relied on friends and mentors for support. He was able to put himself through college working as a construction worker and a youth advocate, and in... Read more

Dianne was placed in foster care when she was four years old. She was first placed in a shelter, followed by two brief placements in foster homes. Dianne's longest placement was from the age of seven to sixteen, but there was a feud which resulted in another placement. She had... Read more

Heidi entered care when she was 1 and again when she was 10 years old. She has spent eight years of her life in foster care. She was adopted when she was 16 by her foster mother, but has had to overcome many obstacles to get where she is today... Read more