The Children & Youth Law Clinic recently partnered with the School of Law and CYLC alumnus Alex Schimel, now a college advisor at Florida Southwestern State College, to present a panel to equip academic advisors with the tools to support current and former foster youth in higher education.
CYLC Fellows Maia Boatwright and Chloe Christiansen led the panel. Christiansen is a second-year law student who developed a passion for child welfare and youth advocacy through her internship and current Fellowship with the clinic. Boatwright is a third-year law student and a research assistant at the clinic who has a passion for social justice with a focus on child welfare and family law. Boatwright has also worked with the National Center for Youth Law, advancing LGBTQ+ youth advocacy, education, and health rights.
Joining the panel was Maria De Castro, director of the First Star University of Miami Academy, who provided critical insight and shared resources for former foster youth, educators, advocates, and academic advisors. Under the University's School of Law and the School of Education and Human Development, First Star offers academic and life skills support to youth impacted by foster care, helping them graduate from high school and pursue higher education or career pathways. Before launching First Star, De Castro taught language arts for 17 years in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, primarily working with at-risk youth.
The presentation emphasized the unique legal, financial, and personal challenges foster youth face when transitioning from high school to college. Using their clinical experience and legal research skills, Boatwright and Christiansen outlined the complexities of the child welfare system.
"Participating in the panel was a reminder that our impact in the foster care system creates a meaningful difference," Christiansen said. "We're always grateful for a space to foster these important conversations with the community. I wish the advisors the best of success in the future."
The panel also featured Demarco Mott, a former foster youth and Citrus Youth Advisory Board member. A dedicated advocate for child well-being and education, Mott holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Arts in Disaster Preparedness and Management. He is a former client of CYLC.
With over 25 academic advisors in attendance, advisors participated in an interactive Q&A session, furthering their understanding of the barriers foster youth face in higher education. The presentation was an overwhelming success, leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.
"It was an honor to share our research and clinical experience with such a dedicated group of advisors," Boatwright said. "We're grateful for the opportunity to advocate for these students and hope this conversation leads to lasting change."
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