Life as a foster child
Story by Anonymous

Most people think of us as troublemakers, outcast and/or criminals when they think of foster children/teens, are like everybody, human. I entered the foster system when I was 14-years-old. The truth is, my parents were beating me up, and they were withholding food from me. Yeah, I was depressed after I was away from my parents, but I learned to cope with my problems. I also admit that I was a troublemaker and an outcast once. I felt lonely and isolated from all my friends because I was different. I had never gotten the courageous to tell my friends that I was a foster child. I was scared of discrimination and feared that I would get hated on. With not many friends, I became loner. After I ran in to some trouble, I was sent San Jose, even more isolated from my friends. But it was there where I turned my life around.

San Jose was where someone inspired me to do well, study hard and go to college. At first, it was very hard but with his encouragement I began to work harder and harder; my grades were better, my attitude toward both people and myself were also better. After six months living in San Jose, my progress became outstanding,with those progresses, I was allowed to move back to   San Mateo County. There I stayed for eight months.   I kept up with my progress, and I graduated the summer of 2007 I was still 16.   Right away, I wasted no time and went straight to community college. After such outstanding progresses, the judge decided to move me to an apartment with a roommate, where I had less restriction and supervision, and more independence. With more independence, I took advantage of it, and kept on going to college. During the fall of 2007, I took on five classes, and worked at the same time.   I would go to school in the morning and part of the evening, and work in the evening and weekends. For the upcoming semester, I am taking   5 classes again, and work in school.

There are a lot of foster children just in the bay area. Not a lot of them are as fortunate as I am. As a foster child, I saw many others depressed. With no one to care for them, and with what had happened to them in the past, they turn toward drugs, alcohol, and gang violence. There are many foster children and foster teens that need to be taken care of. They need someone who understands them, and they need someone to inspire them and change their life. They need someone to put them in the right path. With the help of everyone, life of every foster child would be better. Help doesn't have to be just providing homes, but could be extended to donating money and clothes, become an advocate and mentor, or support in every other way.