Bexar County Fostering Educational Success

Last week, our first Back to School event was a fantastic success! We had a great time engaging with the students, and it was exciting to see so many people learn more about Woo. The event was filled with fun activities and provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with new faces.

Did you know…

Statistics play a crucial role in raising awareness about foster care. They provide insight into the number of children in the system, highlighting the scale of the issue. For instance, statistics can reveal trends in demographics, such as the age, gender, and ethnicity of children in foster care. Moreover, they help identify areas that require more support and resources for both children and foster families. By understanding the statistics, communities can advocate for policies and programs aimed at improving the foster care system. Please continue to share with his information and help us to continue to raise awareness.

Empowering youth with lived experience in foster care to succeed in college entails a holistic approach that addresses their unique needs and challenges. It involves providing tailored academic support, including tutoring and access to resources like scholarships and financial aid, while also offering comprehensive wraparound services such as counseling and life skills training. Creating a supportive environment through dedicated programs and fostering awareness about the experiences of these students is equally crucial. By recognizing and valuing their lived experiences, we can help foster a sense of belonging and resilience, empowering these youth to thrive academically and personally as they pursue higher education.

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Did you know???

In an article published in 2023, observing cohorts from 2017 to 2021, nationally, those foster youth at age 17, about 5%, received a high school diploma or GED, 58% by the age of 19, and 71% by the age of 21. This shows a delay in earning a high school education that takes a bit longer for foster youth to accomplish compared to the general population. By age 21, only 4% earned any kind of degree, whether it's an associate, certificate/license, bachelor's, or advanced degree.

At the age of 17, about 93% of foster youth are attending an educational program, but this decreases to 48% by age 19 and 26% for those aged 21. [I]

At , we are committed to providing comprehensive support to students with a history of foster care, extending our assistance BEYOND the age of 21. Our students are defying the odds and achieving remarkable success. To learn more about our village and the ways we support our students in overcoming barriers and achieving , visit www.bcfes.org. 💙 💚



[i] Children’s Bureau. (2023). Highlights from the NYTD Survey: Outcomes reported by young people at ages 17, 19, and 21 (Cohort 3). In Data Brief #8. https://lnkd.in/g36qPQ8r -> Data Brief #8 - Highlights from the NYTD Survey: Outcomes reported by young people at ages 17, 19, and 21 (Cohort 3) (hhs.gov)

Now is an important time to spread the word about the needs of over 300,000 children and young people that are in foster care. Join us in raising awareness for National Foster Care Month in May 2024!

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Brandon. We are excited to have him on board, and we are confident that his dedication and skills will contribute significantly to our collective impact.

Thank you ALL for your continued support.

Moment of Gratitude! We would like to thank the F.A.T.E. Center at TAMUSA for hosting the Steering Committee Meeting on January 18th. We are grateful for all you do with BCFES!

Happy Holidays from BCFES! We had our annual Holiday Celebration. It was a blast! Thanks to the Students, Donors, Stakeholders, Volunteers, Vendors, and all of our Guests. We could not have pulled this off without you all! We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

We are so happy to celebrate Friendsgiving with our Wings of Opportunity (WOO) Student Advisory Council and the beautiful youth at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives!

This afternoon we shared a nice fried chicken dinner with the youth, played games, did face paint, gave goodies bags full of electronics, t-shirts, journals, snacks and more. We also raffled Fire tablets and gave staff self-care bags with self care tips, candles, hand lotion, and tea.

We also had a surprise visit from UTSA's First Lady, Peggy Eighmy who brought more sweets 🍪for the group to enjoy 🥳.

I'm so proud of our WOO council! They stepped in to make this event successful! The kids gleefully invited us back and we are looking forward to more opportunities to spend time with them! 😁

to Selfless Love Foundation who provided us a mini-grant to make this event extra special for these deserving youth. Thank you for recognizing our dedication to elevating youth voice while preparing them for educational success!!

Special thanks to Debbie Jennings, DNP, MSN, RN, CENP of Doin' Well, LLC for providing additional goodies for the youth to enjoy.

It takes a village!
🏆WOO Members:
✨ President- Shelton Pellum-UTSA ✨ Vice-President-Chloe Bruno-Texas A&M- San Antonio
✨Secretary-K.P-Texas A&M-San Antonio
✨ Senior Advisor-Mental Health-"Shelly" De La Cruz-Texas A&M-San Antonio
✨ Senior Advisor-Outreach & Recruitment Richard Garcia-UTSA (not present)
✨ Davi'na Lathers-Alamo Colleges (not present)
✨ Davi Garcia-Alamo Colleges (not present)
✨ Dani Garcia-Alamo Colleges (not present)