I do not intend to become a part of the statistic that states 94% of foster care youth will not graduate from even a community college. It is very important for me to further my education. I am motivated to graduate and succeed in college for many reasons. Pursuing my education will lead to financial stability. Maintaining financial stability will allow me to comfortably raise and support a family, and ensure that I have shelter, clothes, and food. I believe that financial stability and a happy, healthy family, which are my personal goals in life, cannot be accomplished without pursuing my education. This leaves dropping out of school out of the question.
I must further my education so that I can have a stable job to support my financial needs when I begin living on my own. After doing my own research I found out that living on a minimum wage income, I will struggle to pay the bills by myself. Even if I had the money to pay for the rent and utilities, I will fall short for grooming products, laundry, and transportation funds. The only jobs that can fully provide for my needs require a degree or certification. Dropping out of school means I consent to living paycheck to paycheck, minimum wage, struggling to make ends meet. Although it’s moving to be able to say “Hey, I’ve been through x, y, and z but I am still here,” I would rather sit down in class, pay attention, and earn a degree so that I may one day live comfortably.
Besides, I’m not just planning to live alone for the rest of my life. I want a family. It’s not enough only to have a family – after all, you could have a family and live in a homeless shelter. I want to raise a family, and properly. I don’t want my kids to be stuck in one city or without a well-rounded upbringing. I want my family to grow up in a wealthy, decent establishment. This establishment will be filled with books, computers, daily newspapers, cable, etc. They will have plenty of resources to learn what they need in order to do well in school. In order to make these dreams come true, I will need the proper financial means to support my family and myself. The best way to do this is to obtain a degree and a stable job. Keeping my goal of having a family in mind provokes such ideas of determination to stay in college.
If a family and my own needs aren’t enough to keep me focused, there is always the fact that my dependence quite literally has an expiration date. That’s right, unlike most youth, who can stay at home until they’re ready or for as long as they need, I am in foster care. This means that I have until the tender age of 21 to remain in the care, custody, and service of the New York State Administration for Children Services. According to www.fostercaremonth.org, each year, an estimated 20,000 young people “age out” of the U.S. foster care system , 51% were unemployed , 36% had been homeless, and only a staggering 2% obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher . Therefore, it is my responsibility to take care of myself and prepare myself for this world, because statistically, the cards are stacked against me.
I will do everything in my power not to become another youth who ends up in homeless shelters when she ages out. With motivation and hope in my blood and an expiration date in mind, I am determined to break the statistic and pursue my education until I am stable and ready for permanent work. That being said I have no intentions of dropping out of college, and becoming a part of such unfortunate statistics.
- Ebonee Simpson
Marie
