|
Fostering Success Michigan Newsletter Volume 33 April 2015
|
Fostering Success Michigan's 4th Annual Statewide Summit:
A Sneak Peak!
A Look Inside FSM's 4th Annual Statewide Summit!
FSM's 4th Annual Statewide Summit will be held on May 22, 2015 at the James B. Henry Center at Michigan State University! This year registration will be mandatory and spaces are limited.
The FSM 4th Annual Statewide Summit will offer networking and educational opportunities. What is most exciting, however is that the Summit will be designed and facilitated by FSM's Student Advisory Board! This is sure to be a wonderful opportunity for all involved whether they be students, professionals, or supportive adults. Here is a sampling of SOME of the exciting workshops and activities we have planned for you:
- Pillow Effect: Hosted by Ingham County MYOI
- Tabling by Campus-Based Support Programs, Students Scholarships and Grants, ETV and more!
- Workshops, including:
-
Shantel Crosby, LMSW, Dr. Beverly Baroni, LMSW, and Dr. Angelique Day presenting
Trauma-Informed Approaches to Supporting Students
- Lorraine McKnight, M.A., L.P.C.-S presenting Leadership for Students and Professionals
- FSM Student Ambassador Brittany Bartkowiak, BSW
presenting Thinking About Grad School? What You Need to Know
- Photo Booth Fun!
- Take a Selfie and Show is how you #MakeYourMarkFSM
- Don't forget the swag!
Our theme this year is "Make Your Mark." As you register, be thinking about how you will make your mark to support students who have experienced foster care as they reach their education and career goals.
DHS clock hours will be available along with certificates of completion.
Registration is now open! Please be sure to register.
|
FSM 4th Annual Statewide Summit:
Did Someone Say Giveaway?! 
Calling all students! You are going to want to stay until the end of the summit, and here is why...The Turn 2 Foundation has generously donated an autographed photograph of Derek Jeter in his last MLB game!! This photo, personally signed by Derek Jeter, comes with a certificate of authenticity and is valued at over $600. The autographed photo will be raffled off to one very lucky student attendee at the end of the day, so be sure to make plans to stay to the end!
|
FSM 4th Ann
ual Statewide Summit:
Fostering Success Coach Training Pre-Conference
This year FSM Summit is partnering to offer a pre-conference training opportunity. The
Fostering Succe
ss Coach Training: Level I,
is a
n opportunity for professionals to engage in a 3-day CE
U app
roved training aimed to increase skills in working directly with young adults who have
experienced foster care.
Participation in this training costs $500, but if y
ou register prior to April 19th you will receive a $100 discount! To take part in this wonderful opportunity to
enhance your skill set, register today!
|
4th Annual FSM Statewide Summit:
#MakeYourMarkFSM!
We want YOU to participate in the student-led #Makeover social media campaign!
This year's FSM Summit theme was developed by the FSM Summit Student Advisory Board who wanted to encourage every member of the FSM Network to make a positive mark in the education to career pipeline for students who have experienced foster care.
The FSM Student Advisory Board is using social media to highlight the marks being made and inspire others to make their mark.
Join us by posting and tweeting your #MakeYourMarkFSM selfie! Simply write down the mark you are making as we work together to support young people who have experienced time in foster care, take a selfie, then, post your photo to social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) with the hashtags #MakeYourMarkFSM and #PhotoChallengeFSM.
Encourage others to participate by tagging
them to take the photo challenge! Please like, favorite, and re-share posts as you see them to recognize the marks that your peers and colleagues are making!
|
FSM Partner Spotlight: Foster Care Alumni of America- Michigan Chapter 
The Foster Care Alumni of America- Michigan Chapter is an organization composed of individuals of diverse backgrounds, personally and professionally, with experience in foster care. The individuals are stay-at-home moms, professionals, laborers, teachers, and much more. They strive to create space for them to speak, providing a voice to the experience of foster care. With the goal of ensuring that youth in foster care are able to live healthy lives, reach their full potential, and obtain opportunities, Foster Care Alumni of America- Michigan Chapter seeks to inform policy through a legislative approach.
To learn more, visit FSM's website or visit the chapter's webpage, call 313-444-9657, or email [email protected].
|
|
FSM Resource Spotlight: Childwelfare.gov- National Foster Care Month 2015
"Get to Know The Many Faces of Foster Care"
 May is National Foster Care Awareness Month and each year childwelfare.gov compiles a compilation of resources to assist the many people involved with foster care. Specific resources are outlined for youth, foster parents, tribes, communities, and professionals. Informative resources from the Children's Bureau are also provided. Below are just a few examples of resources available!
- Youth
- Foster Parents
- Tribes
- Communities
- Professionals
To access these resources and many more, visit the FSM's website!
Don't forget to spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, Emails, and More. See how!
|
Training Opportuntiy: Increasing College Outcomes for Foster Youth - 2015 
Lutheran Social Services of Michigan is partnering with the Department of Human Services and Fostering Success Michigan to host four regional trainings across Michigan. These trainings will cover Michigan Education and Training Voucher Program (ETV), updated education policy for children and youth in care, impact of campus based support programs, and various college resources for Foster Youth. See below for the remaining trainings:
- Wednesday, April 22nd- Grand Rapids, MI
- Tuesday, May 19th- Lansing, MI
- Friday, June 12- Mackinaw City, MI
For more detailed information, please see the attached flyer. To register, please visit JJOLT In-Service Training and search Increasing College Outcomes for Foster Youth - 2015.
With questions Please contact Tanya Maki at 1-877-660-6388 or email at [email protected].
|
NAEHCY LeTendre Fund Scholarship 
The NAEHCY LeTendre Fund Scholarship is awarded to youth who are homeless or have experienced homelessness at some point throughout their K-12 education. Students must also have shown average or above average academic achievement. There is a minimum of two $1,500 scholarships awarded each year.
For further information visit the
NAEHCY website.
Complete the
application
and submit no later than June 19, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.
|
Michigan Teen Conference
Save the date! The 2015 Michigan Teen Conference will be held June 17-18 at Saginaw Valley State University.The conference will focus on transitioning out of foster care, helping to prepare youth for this transition and to provide young people with the knowledge of available resources. To learn more, visit The Michigan Federation for Children and Families'
website
and see the attached
flyer
.
|
Meet Alexis J. from
"Words Matter: Student Voices from the FSM Network" 
Alexis J. is an active fourteen year old who loves hanging out with family and friends. She also enjoys spending time with animals, shopping and music. She has declared that she has an obsession with Frank Sinatra.
She does well academically, receiving A's and B's. As she focuses on keeping her grades up in school now, Alexis sets her sights on bigger goals such as attending Western Michigan University or the University of Michigan and majoring in Education. Despite it being difficult to stay motivated, Alexis manages to continue to work hard and is supported by many. Alexis recognizes Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative, her family, teachers, church family, counselor, and case worker as being strong supports as she strives to succeed.
When alone, Alexis enjoys singing and dancing to the song, Down for What. She says this song simply puts her in a good mood no matter what. Additionally if Hollywood ever made a movie about her life, Alexis believes that Melissa McCarthy or Rebel Wilson should be cast to play her because they remind her of herself.
|
Fostering Success Michigan Network Webinar Series
This series is focused on providing students, partners, and supportive adults relevant resources related to the needs of students with experience in foster care.
Center for Fostering Success "Best Practice, Best Fit" Webinar Series
This research-based series focuses on providing helping professionals, students, and supportive adults discovery-driven solutions related to educational attainment for students from foster care.
Upcoming Webinar Reminders
On April 21st, as part of FSM Network webinar series, Lorraine McKnight, M.A., L.P.C.-S will present on
How to use LinkedIn & Social Media to your career advantage!
The Center for Fostering Success will be hosting Monique B. Mitchell, PhD, CT as she presents on May 12th, 2015 on Writing My Success Story: Young Adults' Experiences of the Pursuit of Higher Education. To find out more and to register, be sure to visit the FSM website.
|
Make Your Mark FSM! 
Fostering Success Michigan's 4th Annual Statewide Summit is just around the corner. As the FSM Summit draws near, my attention is focused on how we can take our support for students in the education to career pipeline to the next level. It is time to ask ourselves, what have we been doing to support our students and what can we do in the future to increase that support?
As I reflect on our past three FSM Annual Statewide Summits, I see the growth and progress that we have made. The number of attendees has increased each year and we are making connections in ways that increase the diversity and vibrancy of the FSM Network. Each year we as a network provided more resources and more supports for each of our students. How wonderful is it to see such growth in support and resources for students with experience in foster care as they work toward achieving their education and career goals?
FSM's Annual Statewide Summit is held in May to raise awareness about National Foster Care Month. Throughout the month of May, youth, families, professionals, foster care parents, and other supportive adults are provided with an influx of resources and supports. While it is so important that we take this month to pause and bring focus to the strength and resiliency of young people in foster care, one month simply is not enough. Our students deserve advocacy, resource sharing, and partnership year round! This is our challenge, how can all of us in the FSM Network, make this happen?
I encourage you to reflect on this as we approach the 4th FSM Annual Statewide Summit. How will you make your mark for change and positively impact the lives of students? As you consider this, remember to take part in our social media campaign. Share what you do every day to support our students from foster care as they work toward their goals and encourage your students to do so as well--don't forget to include the hashtags! #MakeYourMarkFSM and #PhotoChallengeFSM.
Take care,
Director of Outreach and Training
Center for Fostering Success
Western Michigan University
|
 |
|
STAY CONNECTED
|
|
|
|
|
