<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Vxdjt_0oHYvPdC00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Vxdjt_0oHYvPdC00" width="1900" height="1069" >VANCOUVER, Wash. — Back to school is an exciting time, but it can be scary for students who’ve been through trauma and don’t have those traditional support systems.That’s where our everyday hero comes in.At a recent back-to-school shopping trip in Vancouver, Melissa Coleman and her teenager looked through the racks, just like at any other store, where friendly employees bag items.But there’s no cash register.It’s a pop-up organized by the Washington nonprofit Treehouse, with donations from the community. It’s a safe space for foster kids and their caregivers to shop for free."Foster youth have very little control of their lives, and the more control we can give them in decisions, even simple things like picking the outfit they want to wear, it gives them the ability to have control of their life and be who they want to be, not just who they're forced to be because of where they've been placed," said Coleman.The pop-up is just one of many things Treehouse does for 6,000 foster youth in Washington.An education specialist is by their side from eighth grade to senior year, providing support and essential services like school and job supplies, information about extracurricular activities and even car insurance with the goal of helping them graduate on time."Graduating from high school is one of the first major milestones that youth has in their lives, and being able to cross that line and do that really kind of launches you into a much more successful future," said Alyosha Vandusen, regional manager of Treehouse.He said the numbers show the need.In Washington, youth in foster care lose up to six months of academic progress per move. And last year, only 53% of them graduated from high school in four years."From Washougal all the way through Vancouver up to Ridgefield, we serve roughly a hundred youth in this area, and we know we're not even serving all of them right now,” said Vandusen.When Coleman met her foster teen, she said graduation seemed unattainable. Now, that diploma is within grasp."The Treehouse rep. has been so amazing. We've worked together and collaborated in so many ways," she said. "There's so much trial and error, and sometimes it really just takes trying every single educational program and saying, OK, that doesn't work, let's pivot, let's keep pivoting, but you're worth it, and we're gonna keep trying."Graduation is the goal, but it’s not where the support ends."Treehouse really works to find those strengths and to really help that youth say, OK, I'm gonna graduate, but then I'm gonna go into the world with this empowerment," said Coleman.And the back-to-school clothes are just the start.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Everyday Heroes: Treehouse pop-up shop prepares foster youth for graduation

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Back to school is an exciting time, but it can be scary for students who’ve been through trauma and don’t have those traditional support systems. That’s where our everyday hero comes in. At a recent back-to-school shopping trip in Vancouver, Melissa Coleman and...