“Remember me? I was at Bright Futures!”
Those five words were heard more than once at the Pathways Graduation Party, and they perfectly captured why the day mattered.
This spring, Bright Futures brought together young adults aging out of foster care with mentors, resources, and a community ready to walk alongside them and cheer them on. Last weekend, we had the opportunity to continue that journey as we partnered with Pathways, Cornerstones of Care’s transitional living program for youth aging out of care, to celebrate 22 high school graduates.
Nationwide, only about 50% of youth in foster care graduate from high school. Each of these graduates represents a remarkable milestone, and we celebrated in a big way—with swimming, inflatables, rock climbing, basketball, and lots and lots of good food.
One of the highlights of the day was when a young woman shared that a connection she made at the Bright Futures resource fair led her to Pawsperity, where she will begin training this fall for a new career in dog grooming.
Another familiar face was a young man from the Build Trybe program who proudly told us he had used every dollar of his Bright Futures stipend to purchase gardening supplies. He is now growing his own garden and sharing both his skills and produce with his neighbors. As he talked about what he was growing, it was impossible not to smile—his excitement was absolutely contagious.
These weren’t dramatic success stories wrapped up with a bow. They were something better: glimpses of young adults taking ownership of their futures.
Too often, support for young people aging out of foster care is measured by the services we provide or the resources we connect them to. Those things matter, but days like this remind us that our presence matters most. Showing up. Remembering names. Celebrating milestones. Following up after the event is over.
Personal transformation happens in relationship, and relationship takes time.
As we celebrated these 22 graduates, the atmosphere was filled with hope and genuine joy. It was a reminder that the work doesn’t end when an event is over. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply stay connected long enough to see what grows.
Sometimes the most important thing we can do is simply stay connected long enough that a young adult can look at us months later and say, “Remember me?”
Learn more about Resurrection’s Foster/Adopt Community.
Learn more about Missions at Resurrection, both Local and Global.
Katy Nall serves as the Program Director of Missions for Resurrection West. She loves helping people connect their faith with action, planning adventures, and hearing a really great story! She and her husband, Drew, have two incredible kids and are foster parents and advocates. Whether she’s leading a serve trip, reading her latest library find, hiking a trail, or cheering on her kids from the audience or sidelines, she’s always looking for opportunities to learn, grow in her faith, and make a difference!
