Press Release

Governor Locke and College Success Foundation
Celebrate Foster Youth

28 Foster Youth selected to receive Governor's Scholarships

(Seattle, WA, May 1, 2005) Erika Martinez is pleased to announce that she is going to college. Erika is bright and talented and the fact that she grew up in foster care shouldn't limit her future. Erika has persevered despite numerous foster placements. She attended ten schools in nine years but always knew she wanted to go to college. How many ninth graders do you know who write a mission statement? Erika did and hers reads, "To graduate from Clover Park High School, earn a college degree and become a successful photo-journalist for National Geographic."

Erika and twenty-seven other deserving young people were recently selected to receive the Governors Scholarship award. Washington Governor Gary Locke established this scholarship and mentorship program in 2001 to address the challenges that many foster youth face in continuing their education-challenges such as the absence of consistent adult role models, lack of specialized support services and the social, emotional and academic hardships caused by multiple home and school placements.

With this program, Governor Locke and the College Success Foundation hope to increase the currently dismal high school graduation and college enrollment rates of foster youth by not only assisting them with scholarship and mentorship support during their collegiate experience, but also encouraging the idea that they can indeed achieve their educational and career goals. At present, it is estimated that one-third of foster youth in Washington State will graduate from high school before aging out of the foster care system, and studies estimate that nationally only 3% of foster care alumni over the age of 25 have earned a Bachelor's degree.

The Governors Scholarship Program is primarily sponsored by proceeds from the annual Governors Cup Golf Tournament. Additional funding has also come from a statewide carwash event organized by Families for Kids (a branch of Lutheran Community Services) and the Department of Social and Health Services of Washington. To date, the golf tournaments and carwash events have raised over $800,000 for scholarship awards.

Now in it's third year, the program will continue the tradition of acknowledging its newest cohort of scholars at the Governors Scholarship Reception. This year's celebration will be held on May 14 at the State Capitol and will consist of an awards ceremony along with a reception hosted by Governor Locke at the Executive Mansion. Last year's guests included many passionate advocates of foster youth in Washington State--Representative Ruth Kagi, the Honorable Judge Paula Casey, the Honorable Judge Patricia Clark--as well as the scholars and their friends and family, state and private agency social workers, faculty and administration from high schools across Washington State, and other professionals involved with improving the lives of foster youth both statewide and nationally.

Prior to the May 14th reception, College Success Foundation Vice-President and co-founder Ann Ramsay-Jenkins along with Ron Murphy, Director of Washington State Strategy for Casey Family Programs, will co-host the 3rd annual Forum on Foster Care. This forum will be a collaboration with Washington State's Children's Administration and several other foster care-related organizations to share ideas regarding how to be more effective in serving and positively impacting the lives of foster youth.

Erika Martinez plans to continue her mission this fall by attending college and majoring in photography. Erika as part of this year's cohort of twenty-eight students will join the first and second cohorts (fifteen and twenty-four students, respectively) in being Washington State Governors Scholars--young adults who represent tenacity, leadership, and academic success and serve as excellent role models for all students who are determined to fulfill the dream of earning a college degree.

------------- Download Articles -------------

• Third Press Release - "High School Seniors Invited to
  Experience College Life"
• Second Press Release - "Governor Locke and College Success Foundation Celebrate Foster Youth"
• First Press Release - "The Foster Care to College Partnership Convenes May 14th"

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• Governors Scholars with Governor Locke at the Governors Scholarship Award Ceremony 2003
• Governors Scholars with Governor Locke at the Governors Scholarship Award Ceremony 2002
• Ann Ramsay-Jenkins and Governor Locke at the Governors Scholarship Award Ceremony 2002

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