I write a lot here about things going on at our agency that I’m excited about. This is definitely one of those. It’s an extraordinary opportunity that can be truly transformational for some of our youth in foster care.
We’re sending some of our teenagers on a tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). They’ll spend Spring Break week next year touring Howard, Morgan State, Delaware State and six others. It’s something our Children’s Services team has wanted to do for some time and they’ve made it happen. It’s part of our Beyond Your Imagination program initiated by Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas.
The students will not only visit the schools, but they’ll also see some historical sites and do other activities along the way. These are the kinds of things kids in foster care don’t often get the opportunity to do. We’re also going to make sure they have the necessary clothing and luggage.
This is possible because of our Children’s Services Levy, passed most recently in 2021. We appreciate the support we’ve received over the years from Hamilton County voters.
There are 106 HBCUs in the United States, according to UNCF, so they’re just 3 percent of America’s higher education institutions. Yet they produce almost 20 percent of all African American graduates and 25 percent of African American graduates in the very important STEM fields. The campuses focus on being supportive of first-generation college students and students who might be coming to college not fully prepared. Tuition is generally lower as well.
If you know of a student in foster care who might like to visit these historically black colleges and universities, please tell them to apply here. The deadline is Dec. 1.
