The dress sparkles under the boutique lights. Sammie* runs her fingers over the fabric, hardly believing this moment is real. She never thought she’d get to do this—prom dress shopping. But here she is, standing in front of the mirror, seeing herself as a girl who belongs.
When Sammie was 14, her world fell apart. Her mom—her everything—passed away, and she entered foster care at Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois. She was shy, grieving, and unsure of where she fit in. The weight of her sadness felt unbearable. She kept to herself, barely spoke and didn’t have any friends.
Counseling helped. Little by little, Sammie found words for her pain. LCFS’ foster care staff supported her through her grief, too. They searched for her father, hoping he could step in to care for her, but they found he had passed as well. Another loss. Another wound to heal.
But then came hope. Her older sister, newly married, stepped up. She gave Sammie not just a home, but the love and stability she needed to begin to put the pieces back together. And with that, Sammie slowly started to bloom.
Now, she’s a senior in high school, stepping into the spotlight. She’s part of the drama club, performing in school plays, planning for prom, getting a class ring and taking senior pictures. All the things she once thought were for other kids are now part of her story.
Too often, teens in foster care miss out on the experiences that make high school special. But not Sammie. She has taken center stage—both in life and in theater— and she’s ready for her next act.
She’s earning good grades, working a part-time job, and making college plans, thanks in part to a DCFS scholarship. There’s no stopping her now!
About a quarter of the children LCFS serves in foster care are teenagers. Teens in care can be a challenging population, but stories like Sammie’s prove that with the right support, they can blossom and grow. Robin Calhoon, LCFS’ Central Region Director of Child Welfare, says, “You know you’ve truly touched a life when a child is thriving.”
It’s an honor to give kids the chance to dream and step into their own spotlight, just like Sammie.
*Names and images changed for privacy.
