Welcome,
BRAVO Scholars
The BRAVO Scholars Program provides a sustainable network of academic and personal support services that promote degree attainment, completion of certificate programs and or transferring to a four-year institution for current and former foster students. BRAVO works with students who have foster care or homelessness experiences to develop interpersonal skills to help students become self-sufficient role models and competent adults.
What is a Foster Student
A child or youth who has been removed from their home pursuant to WIC 309 (temporary custody), is the subject of a petition filed under WIC 300 (dependent-victim of abuse or neglect) or WIC 602 (juvenile who has violated the law), or has been removed from their home and is the subject of a petition under WIC section 300 or 602. EC 48853.5(a).
For purposes of the Los Medanos College (LMC), “foster youth” will be defined as any of the following:
• A child or youth who is the subject of a petition filed under Welfare and Institutions
Code (WIC) Section 300 (meaning a court has taken jurisdiction over a child and declared
the child to be a dependent of the court due to the presence or risk of abuse or neglect).
This includes both children who are living at home (i.e., with their biological
parents) while a dependent of the court as well as children who the court has ordered
to be removed into the care, custody and control of a social worker for placement
outside the home.
• A child or youth who is the subject of a petition filed under WIC Section 602 (meaning a court has taken jurisdiction over a child and declared the child to be a ward of the court due to the child’s alleged violation of certain criminal laws) and has been ordered by a court to be removed from home pursuant to WIC Section 727 and placed into foster care as defined by WIC Section 727.4(d) (e.g., placed into a foster home or short-term residential therapeutic program).
• A youth between ages 18 and 21 who is enrolled in high school, is a non-minor dependent under the placement responsibility of child welfare, probation, or a tribal organization participating in an agreement pursuant to WIC Section 10553.1, and is participating in a transitional independent living case plan.
• A youth who is or was a ward of the court through a kinship, Kin-GAP, a non-related legal guardianship, or were adopted, with verification of such circumstance
Foster Care to Fame
Monthly Spotlight: Cher
Cherilyn Sarkisian, more commonly known as the artist, Cher was born on May 20, 1946 in El Centro, California as the only child to Georgia Holt and John Sarkisian. Holt mother divorced Sarkisian while still pregnant with Cher. Holt was married eight -times and struggled to maintain entertainment gigs. Cher’s early life with her mom was spent mostly in poverty. Due to an illness, Cher’s mother was unable to take care of her for a time, so Cher was sent to spend time in an orphanage before she was able to return home. She usually stayed with one of her grandmothers while her mother worked. Her grandparents were very influential in her life. When Cher was eight, her mom was not able to make enough money to support the family. Cher also struggled in school due to what she later learned was because of her dyslexia. At 16, she dropped out, follow her dreams, and begin acting lessons in Los Angeles. She officially changed her name to “Cher”. She experienced homelessness and stayed with a friend who was neighbors with Sonny Bono. When Cher turned 18, her and Sonny married. In 1965, the hit single “I Got You Babe” was released and she’s been making history ever since. After divorcing Sonny, Cher remarried had a child, divorced again and returned to acting. She contributes her success to watching her mother trying to make it work for them so she did the same for her family.
What is considered homeless?
A homeless/houselessness student is a scholar who is experiencing a "lack of a fixed,
regular, and adequate night-time residence; and... has a primary night time residency
that is: (A) a supervised publicly or privately
operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations... (B) an institution
that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized,
or(C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular
sleeping accommodation for human beings" (National Coalition for the Homeless,).
Contact Us
- T'Sendenia (Ms. T) Gage
- Student Success and Retention Programs Coordinator
- Foster Youth Liaison
- (925) 473 - 7420
- tgage@losmedanos.edu
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