Amanda entered foster care at the age of 2 and experienced 15 different placements. At the age of 17 she attained a job and graduated from high school with little contact from the state. This separation gave her the knowledge of what she wanted to do in her life. “After maturing I finally came to realize my purpose was to help children in foster care and try to change the system so that children don’t have to go through what I did.” She has turned her realization into action. Amanda is currently the President of her Youth Advisory Board in Florida, a member of the Florida Leadership Academy, sits on a committee that is writing new legislation regarding the Independent Living Program, and volunteers with Heartland for Children, where she works with children in foster care. In her spare time Amanda is writing her autobiography in the hopes of helping others in the foster care system.
State(s)
Florida
Team(s) or Cohort(s)
2010 Outstanding Young Leaders