Julia Benford is a retired trauma technician with a lifetime of experience caring for people. She has a deep desire to help others and she shows that by being a big part of our Treatment Foster Care program. She has been a part of the program for two-and-a-half years, fostering three children in that time. Mrs. Benford has taken on the responsibility to care for children most people would find difficult to handle and she cares for them as if they are her own. Upon reflection of her experiences, Mrs. Benford says, “It is rewarding to see positive changes in a child and know that I am helping them by giving them loving care in a safe environment.”

What kind of person steps up to care for children most people would find difficult to handle? Meet Julia Benford, a retired trauma technician with a lifetime of experience caring for people. It’s no surprise she’s married to a retired firefighter, one of her daughters is a clinical social worker, and she has a grandson who just joined the Navy. The desire to help others runs deep in her family.

Mrs. Benford felt a calling to care for children in need, and she chose to work with The Children’s Guild Treatment Foster Care program because “it offered the support I knew I would need.” Treatment Foster Care parents are highly trained and supervised to care for children with complex problems and behavioral issues due to childhood trauma. 

Mrs. Benford has fostered three children in her two-and-a-half years as a Treatment Foster Care parent. Maya,* a two-year-old girl, was recently reunited with her family. She had been drug-exposed and was failing to thrive when she arrived at the Benford’s home. “I attended feeding classes, and Maya spent the first six months sleeping on my chest because she wouldn’t let me put her down,” says Mrs. Beneford. Maya also had plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), and Mrs. Benford maintained consistent therapy to shape Maya’s head. With all of these challenges, Mrs. Benford says, “Seeing Maya leave was the hardest part.” 

Mrs. Benford currently fosters two boys, Jeremy* and C.J.* In the year leading up to placement with Mrs. Benford, Jeremy had three placements with different agencies. With The Children’s Guild’s support, Mrs. Benford has been able to maintain him.

Jeremy demonstrated verbal and physical aggression and was diagnosed with intellectual disability and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mrs. Benford attended almost daily intensive therapy with him. She says, “Most people find caring for Jeremy overwhelming because he has multiple issues and delays, but he would become a statistic if we did not help him.” There has been a learning curve for meeting his individual needs, and she has played a significant role in ensuring he receives the necessary therapy and care.

C.J. is a 16-month-old infant that Mrs. Benford has cared for since he was four days old. C.J. was drug-exposed and has numerous developmental delays, but he is finally starting to walk. She says, “He is wonderful,” and describes him as “cute and sweet” and having a personality that has charmed her whole family.

It takes a tremendous amount of fortitude and hard work to be a Treatment Foster Care parent. Upon reflection of her experiences, Mrs. Benford says, “It is rewarding to see positive changes in a child and know that I am helping them by giving them loving care in a safe environment.”

*Names changed to protect children’s privacy.

High school students who work face unique challenges. While they may thrive in the workforce and benefit from the financial gains and real-life experience of holding a job, they often have difficulty balancing work and school. They need educators who understand their situation and can help them stay on track to graduate. The Children’s Guild Alliance launched The Academy for Working Students (TAWS) to address the struggles of working high school seniors. The innovative TAWS program gives students the opportunity to create a flexible school schedule that fits around their work commitments. Students receive support from mentors and career coaches and develop individual career plans to boost their graduation success.

High school students who work face unique challenges. While they may thrive in the workforce and benefit from the financial gains and real-life experience of holding a job, they often have difficulty balancing work and school. They need educators who understand their situation and can help them stay on track to graduate.

The Children’s Guild Alliance launched The Academy for Working Students (TAWS) to address the struggles of working high school seniors. The innovative TAWS program gives students the opportunity to create a flexible school schedule that fits around their work commitments. Students receive support from mentors and career coaches and develop individual career plans to boost their graduation success.

“A full-day school schedule did not work for me,” says Alexandra Tsytsareva, who worked 30-37 hours per week at a childcare center while participating in TAWS. A very independent person at an early age, Ms. Tsytsareva says, “TAWS gave me the ability to manage my own schedule and have responsibility over my life.” She graduated high school this spring and is pursuing a degree in education at City College of New York. She looks forward to a career in early childhood education and one day owning a childcare center.

Genesis Velasquez joined TAWS after discovering she was pregnant. “I wanted to get my diploma on time but needed flexibility,” she says. Through TAWS she was able to graduate from high school and stay at home with her child. Ms. Velasquez works part-time as a dog sitter and is exploring other work-from-home opportunities. She plans to attend Montgomery College and is interested in becoming a certified personal trainer and having a career in the health industry.

Roderick Dreher enrolled in TAWS so he could support his family during a time of crisis. His older brother had been critically injured in a car accident and required around-the-clock care. His younger sister was just starting kindergarten and needed help getting ready for school. Even before his brother’s accident, Mr. Dreher had held a job at a local retirement community. By participating in TAWS, Mr. Dreher could pick up additional shifts at work and still help out at home.

He graduated with his class and was able to attend school events when his schedule allowed. He says, “It was difficult, but I feel prepared for the future, and I don’t feel like I missed out on the high school experience.” He is majoring in biology at Coppin State University with the goal of becoming a pharmacist. 

Recently, second-grade teachers from Monarch Academy Glen Burnie were inspired to travel to Ethiopia. Their interest in Ethiopia was sparked after author Jane Kurtz led a workshop for students on how to write children’s books. Ms. Kurtz shared experiences from her childhood in Ethiopia and her work with Ethiopia Reads and Open Hearts Big Dreams, two organizations that partner to provide books to children in Ethiopia. Second-grade teachers, Ms. Legambi, Sonja Bolotin and Molly Malloy, along with art teacher Sam Green, traveled to Ethiopia at the end of the school year. Now, when second-graders at Monarch Academy Glen Burnie study school communities, their teachers will use pictures from their trip and tell personal stories about the schools they visited and the people they met. “It was an extremely humbling experience to see the challenges students in Ethiopia face,” says Ms. Bolotin. She sees opportunities to grow empathy in her students and looks forward to conveying the Ethiopian students’ hunger for education. “It will have a profound effect when we share these experiences.”

Monarch Academy develops globally-minded students through a curriculum infused with diversity and authentic learning experiences. “We believe students should become ethical people who affect the world positively,” says Kim Jakovics, principal of Monarch Academy Glen Burnie. “It’s very much a part of our curriculum pedagogy to understand other cultures and places.”

This year, second-grade teachers from her school were inspired to travel to Ethiopia following an Expeditionary Learning journey that incorporated the country’s culture, language and history. Their interest in Ethiopia was sparked by a visit from award-winning author Jane Kurtz,  who led a workshop for students on how to write children’s books. Ms. Kurtz shared experiences from her childhood in Ethiopia and her work with Ethiopia Reads and Open Hearts Big Dreams, two organizations that partner to provide books to children in Ethiopia. 

The second graders were studying pollinators the week of the workshop, so their teachers suggested they write a book about the importance of bee pollination for agriculture in Ethiopia. “From school communities to fossils, the teachers found connections between Ethiopia and what the second graders were studying,” says art teacher Sam Green. She collaborated with the teachers to have the students illustrate the book.

“We worked all year on the book,” says second-grade teacher Jenna Legambi. Their efforts paid off. The book is being published and distributed by Open Hearts Big Dreams to children in Ethiopia, and it will also be available on Amazon. 

Moved by their dedication, Ms. Kurtz encouraged the teachers to visit Ethiopia and see firsthand the things they had been teaching their students. Through grants and support from their students and school, all of the second-grade teachers, Ms. Legambi, Sonja Bolotin and Molly Malloy, along with art teacher Sam Green, traveled to Ethiopia at the end of the school year.

Now, when second-graders at Monarch Academy Glen Burnie study school communities, their teachers will use pictures from their trip and tell personal stories about the schools they visited and the people they met. “It was an extremely humbling experience to see the challenges students in Ethiopia face,” says Ms. Bolotin. She sees opportunities to grow empathy in her students and looks forward to conveying the Ethiopian students’ hunger for education. “It will have a profound effect when we share these experiences.”