Greetings,

The mission of the Mockingbird Society is to build a world class foster care system. One of the ways we endeavor to do this is by involving youth and young adults who have experienced foster care to use their voice and leadership to improve the system.

Every summer we hold the annual Foster Youth and Alumni Leadership Summit. We wanted to invite youth from around the state of Washington to apply to attend this free Summit to bring their voice and perspective to the Summit.

The Leadership Summit with be June 25th to 27th 2012 on Bainbridge Island. Applications to the Leadership Summit are due on April 20th. As an extra incentive to get applications in early we will be giving away $10 gift cards to the first 5 applicants.

The Leadership Summit is a skill-building opportunity for current and former foster youth and their allies. All travel expenses and participation costs will be paid for applicants accepted to the Leadership Summit.

Potential applicants would be foster youth age 14 or older or former foster youth age 24 or younger.

Participants at the Leadership Summit will learn how to use their voice effectively to get their needs met in and out of the system. Participants will meet with other current and former foster youth, identify issues important to them, and express their ideas to state policy makers.

Additionally, participants will attend Transitions. This innovative, experiential eight hour training is the latest Mockingbird Society developed curriculum for youth who have experienced foster care. Participants will learn tools to help successfully navigate life’s major transitions including, but not limited to, transitioning out of foster care.

Applications for the Leadership Summit are due by 5 pm on April 20th, 2012. A link to the on-line application can be found on the Mockingbird Society website at: www.mockingbirdsociety.org

For additional information, questions, concerns or application requests, please call 503-929-6659 or email selona

Attached you will find more information about the 2012 Foster Youth and Alumni Leadership Summit and the materials and information that needs to be collected before completing the on line application.

The direct link to the application:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012summitapplication

Or you can go to the Leadership Summit page at:

http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-network/leadership-summit/

I am also available to help young people complete their applications.

At Pierce County Alliance, my host agency in Tacoma, we also have a Mockingbird Chapter Meeting on the second Tuesday of each month from 3-5:30 pm. Please let me know if you have any young people age 14-24 that might like to attend out Chapter Meeting.

Thank you for your time and please feel free to forward this on to any 14-24 year old that may be interested.

Selona Willett |Resource Specialist Tacoma/Olympia

| 503.929.6659 Mobile

Tacoma – Pierce County Alliance

510 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98402

Olympia- Community Youth Services

711 State Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98506

The Mockingbird Society – Building a world-class foster care system

2100 24th Avenue S, Suite 240 | Seattle, WA 98144

206.323.5437 office | 206.323.1003 fax | mockingbirdsociety.org