Writing Contest
In the most recent Fostering Perspectives writing contest we gave young people in foster care the following prompt: “Part of being resilient is overcoming a challenge. Tell us about a time you overcame a challenge and who or what helped you.”
Here’s what they had to say.
1st Place – Olivia, age 16
Lluvia, My sister, has helped me get over the challenging fear that I am unlovable even when I didn’t feel like I deserved it but even then she still didn’t leave my side and from the earliest of days, she enveloped me in a cocoon of affection, demonstrating through her actions that love was a force powerful enough to dispel any shadows of doubt . Her love wasn’t just a mere emotion; it was a guiding light, a constant reminder that I was cherished and valued beyond measure. Through her nurturing presences and unwavering encouragement, Lluvia shattered the walls of insecurity that once surrounded me . Her words of reassurance were like a soothing balm to my wounded spirit, and her gestures of kindness spoke volumes of a love that transcended any limitations. In moments of self-doubt, she stood by my side, a beacon of unwavering support, reminding me that I was never alone in my struggles. Lluvia’s love became my shield against the fear of being unloved, a steadfast anchor in the tumultuous sea of life. Her love was a testament to the boundless capacity of the human heart to heal, to uplift, and to empower. In her embrace I found solace, in her words, I found courage, and in her love, I learned that true love is not just a feeling but a transformative force that has the power to heal, to nurture, and to inspire.
Olivia received $100 for taking top prize in the writing contest.
2nd Place – Tattianna, age 16
A challenge that I overcame would be when I had a hole in my heart when I was little. I was in the hospital from December 29th all the way to February 14th. My parents were scared that I wouldn’t make it but here I am alive and healthy, playing with my friends and the animals, and hanging out with everyone I’m close with. The thing that helped me was my family’s care and affection and faithfulness and their bravery and their hopefulness. Once I was okay again I got to go home and that was on February 14th aka Valentines day. Now it’s my special day, the day I came home from the hospital after having a hole in my heart. My family cared for me the whole time and the nurses and doctors at the hospital never gave up on me. My parents call me their Miracle daughter. My siblings were also a big help in the whole process. My parents were also worried about my twin brother because he had something wrong with his brain, but he’s okay now. He’s alive and healthy and loves playing and doing stuff and going to school and hanging out with friends and family and helping people when needed.
Tattianna received $50 for taking second prize.
3rd Place – Tyrell, age 17
I overcame a challenge when I went through my time of grief when my grandmother died. When I found out my grandmother died I was really angry and depressed. So I went to my foster parents, they gave me advice but that did little at that moment. But once I turned to God, everything changed for me, because I let go and let God take care of my problems. When God stepped in he made me look at what I do have (that was in my reach or still alive on this earth) and he taught me to be grateful. There are still times when I think of what grandma would’ve been like right now but I just think about the fact that I’m going to see her again one day. But now that I’m 17 years of age and I’m getting wiser each and everyday, I give God glory that he brought me out of depression and into his mercy and love. So I give God all the glory. Also some other helpers that were a big factor to me was my foster parents. They took great care of me even when I didn’t act right, and they also took me to church and basically treated me like I was a part of their great families. I want to shout out my DSS workers because they taught me many lessons as well as lead me to the foster homes that treated me so well.
Tyrell received $25 for taking third prize.
Layla, age 11
One of my biggest challenges I overcame was leaving my mom. 2 years ago I was really sad, my brothers and sisters were sad too! About 1 year in a half later that’s when I found out I was leaving my aunt and uncle. My two brothers was leaving my grandad 1 month before me. Also I just learned to keep praying for my mom and family to get us back. I feel like every day was getting closer and closer. I just learned to talk to somebody you trust. Like my foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. take they are really, really nice. I would never be anywhere else than here. I truly learned to trust and believe in God. It helps!
Alex, age 12
I have overcome many challenges. Here is one of them. While with my grandparents I had outbursts of depression and depressive episodes to the point I had unhealthy thoughts mostly the idea it was my fault for coming into custody but I then thought of healthier thoughts. I told myself that it was for the greater good that I am where I am and how well I’ve now been doing. My Grandmother helped me through these tough times by showing me that my thoughts were only a temporary solution to a fixable problem.
Hailey, age 16
I’m Hailey. Earlier this year, I struggled with math in school. Adjusting to a new home environment and lacking effort led to me falling behind. Recognizing that need for change, Mrs. Connor, my math teacher, provided me with lots of tutoring every week after school. Her support and guidance led me to not only improving my grades but to also being awarded student of the month in March.
Kayden, age 9
My challenge was being treated the wrong way. That is why I am in foster care. My parents were not treating me the right way, so they had to go to jail like the other writing contest. I didn’t want to go to jail, but my parents had to because they were not doing the right things. They even made me and my three sisters sleep on the floor and left us all by ourselves. How do you think that would feel? Scary right? That is how it felt – scary. My parents were extremely bad. They need to get along with God. They still have a long long life to live, especially without God, so that was very hard for me. I had to move to seven houses. My sisters are now separated from me. One is in Washington, one in Charlotte, one in Fayetteville. Those places are far apart. The one in Washington didn’t move long ago. That was super hard, especially if they are your siblings. It’s like you don’t have any if they are separated from you. My mom and dad didn’t get along well – that was hard and scary.
Ethan, age 14
When I was 14 I made the JV and Varsity team. I had to play center because of my height and athleticism. The only problem was that I wanted to play guard. My mentality was to do just that. A few games into the season I was determined to show what I had. Before one of our games I said “Coach, look at this.” I went up and did dribble moves and shot some 3’s and made them. He proceeded to say “That’s good, but not enough.” The next practice he comes up to me and says “We’re going to shoot 25 mid-range shot’s then we’ll do the next drill.” We do the drill and he says “5 for 25.” After we finished he told me “Have I showed you or have you showed yourself?” That made me even more hungry to work and play guard. As the season was going coach saw my constant and consistent adjustments.
All other submission authors received $20 for contributing to this issue.
