Hello, my name is Santhana Pierre and I am an advocate for the Fostering Youth Success Alliance. I am a freshman at Binghamton University pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology. Once upon a time, I never really saw myself going to college because I thought I would be financially unstable and go into debt. I also believed that my caretaker would not be able to afford something that expensive; even with the FAFSA and other financial aid, there are other costs to consider. I didn't believe that I would survive college financially, but I knew that intellectually, I was capable of getting a degree.
As my senior year came around, my foster care agency finally informed me about the other financial aid options that I was eligible to receive, such as the Educational Training Voucher (ETV), ACS College Choice, and other scholarship programs such as the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI). Learning about these options excited me as I saw more forthcoming opportunities for myself and my future. I believe that investing $10 million in the FYCSI will be able to help support more students, especially foster youth who desire to attend college and see themselves earning a degree and being a productive member of society. As young people transition out of foster care, they may consider not going to college or be afraid, like me, that they will end up in debt. They may need more vision to see themselves attending college and overcoming challenges. Statistically, 1 in 20 youth with a foster care background attend college. However, I am a testament that supports like the FYCSI help young people like me to overcome challenges and pursue a college