Fadwa’s Story

To say Fadwa is driven is an understatement. She doesn’t dream of becoming a surgical nurse, she is actively taking steps to make it happen. And to make her mother proud.

Fadwa lost her mother to cancer when she was just 13 years old. Her father expected Fadwa to assume her mother’s responsibilities and moved the family often, keeping them distanced from any extended family. She was not allowed to have friends or participate in extracurricular activities. She attended five different high schools and managed to maintain excellent grades while she cooked, cleaned, and took care of her two brothers and father.

At 17, she was abandoned by her father and placed in SCO’s foster care program. SCO helped stabilize the teen, placed her with a foster family, and eventually was able to locate a maternal aunt who opened her heart and home to her long-lost niece through kinship foster care.

Despite her early challenges, Fadwa stays focused on the opportunities ahead of her. SCO’s foster care staff helped her prepare for college; guiding her through the application process and helping her achieve both a Dream USA Scholarship and a Youth in Foster Care Award.  Currently a student at Borough of Manhattan Community College, SCO helped her secure an internship with a surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Fadwa’s goal is to keep her GPA high enough to get into nursing school. And we have no doubt she will achieve this and so much more.

 

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Tyree Learning Center

The Tyree Learning Center is a New York State certified special education school that was created to accommodate the needs of the children and adolescents with developmental disabilities who reside at The Robert J. McMahon Children’s Center in Nassau County, Long Island. Small class sizes and student-centered instruction tailor each student’s education to his/her individual needs and abilities.

Who Can Benefit from this Program

Children and adolescents with developmental disabilities who reside at The Robert J. McMahon Children’s Center in Nassau County, Long Island.

Age Criteria or Other Eligibility Requirements

Age 5-21, IQ < 50; must have been placed at the RJMCC RTC through social services or through CSE

How to Access this Program or Service

Referrals accepted via Administration for Children’s Serivces (ACS) or county LDSS foster care services, or through Committee on Special Education

Success Stories

Fadwa’s Story

Foster Care and Education

“I’m going to be successful regardless of what I’ve been through." Learn More

Isis & Kaiden

Bethany I

“We’ve made lifelong friends and family. It was a beautiful struggle.” Learn More

88%

of young adults in foster care (18+) are enrolled in school or working

95%

of women in our residential recovery program remained substance free

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