About the summer program:

In Washington State, seven out of ten foster youth do not graduate from high school before they age-out of foster care. Only 25 percent of all foster youth enroll in post-secondary programs immediately after high school. Clearly there is a need for these young adults to plan for, prepare for, and go to college in much larger numbers than they do now. The College Success Foundation is addressing this need with an innovative program named Make it Happen! The College Experience. The summer program is the first of its kind, designed to help foster youth develop their own plans for success by teaching them how to go to college.

Last summer, 107 students spent four days on the University of Puget Sound campus and learned how to apply to college, how to obtain financial aid and how to look for scholarships. They learned the differences between community colleges, technical colleges, four-year baccalaureate institutions and research universities. They talked about majors and minors, internships and work study opportunities. They learned about campus resources and how to manage their time and money. And they had fun! They played volleyball, danced, sang, read poems, and shared stories. These young people were surrounded by a community of others who had experienced life in foster care, and this atmosphere made it safe enough to trust each other, safe enough to share their stories, and safe enough to be themselves.

The young people who attended Make it Happen! left the program with new ideas and hopes for the future, a purpose in high school, plans for higher education and new friends to support their dreams. Thanks to the Stuart Foundation we will be able to continue this program for the next year.

• Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility:
Students are eligible for Make it Happen if they are:

• Interested in learning about college.
• Recognized as a dependent youth in Washington State, federal or tribal out-of-home care.
• Currently a sophmore, junior, or senior in high school or enrolled in or graduated from a GED program.

• Make it Happen 2008 Application

Peer Mentor and Volunteer Applications and Brochure:

• Make it Happen 2007 Brochure
  

Slideshow:

• Make it Happen 2007 Slideshow Presentation
Make it Happen 2006 Slideshow Presentation

• Make it Happen 2005 Slideshow Presentation
  

CSF believes that obtaining a high quality education is essential for success in life. It is our mission to provide college scholarships and mentoring to low-income, high-potential students, who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to obtain a college education.

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