BEST Kids has partnered with CFSA and has endeavored to raise awareness regarding the importance of foster care mentoring through an a city-wide event held on October 8, 2008 in which decision makers, including Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee of the District of Columba Council; The Honorable Anita Josey-Herring, Chief Judge of the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; Marilyn Benoit, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical School; and Dr. Roque Gerald, Interim Director of CFSA, gathered to praise the work of BEST Kids and discuss how to further improve the lives of foster care children through volunteer mentoring.

 The child at the end of the clip was missing so many days at school his principal told our staff he wasn’t going to graduate from sixth grade.  Our super mentor Stephen Lozano started mentoring him 10, 20 hours a month with weekly contact.  He graduated from 6^th grade.  This past September this mentee then attended our peer group event with a Ritz Carlton chef. They learned how to make smoothies, omlettes, waffles and lasgna.   Now this mentee, as stated in this clip, wants to attend culinary school.  There are several other kids that now want to be lawyers.  Our kids are staring to imagine a different life story.  A big step towards actually living a different life story.  Enjoy Clip.