Carter, 17 years old, CA |

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Carter is a resilient and strong teenager who has experienced profound loss during his life. Carter has been in and out of foster care since he was born. This has resulted in Carter being caught up in the wrong crowd, which led to his being involved in Juvenile Hall when he was just 15 years old. However, Carter has changed his life around with the support of his older brother, who has recently taken guardianship over him. In fact, he is on track to graduate high school 1.5 years early, due to his determination and drive. He is an exceptional young man with big dreams. He cares deeply about his family and wants to succeed to support them when he is older.

Carter is a resilient young man who is currently in foster care after being removed from his family, a transition that has come with significant loss and instability. Due to this, he got caught up in the wrong crowd and made risky choices, which led to him facing juvenile incarceration over the summer. However, since his detention, he has shown remarkable strength and maturity. Over the past several months, has made an incredible turnaround in a short amount of time. After facing significant challenges early on, he made the intentional choice to change his life around, committing to school, distancing himself from negative influences - and guess what? He is on track to graduate high school 1.5 years early! He has recently experienced the unexpected loss of his older sister, who was his closest relationship and like a mother to him growing up. Even while grieving and adjusting to foster care, he remains determined to break cycles, make better choices, and build a future he can be proud of. Basketball has become an important outlet for him, helping him stay grounded, connected, and motivated. He hopes to one day work with children and be the role model he once needed.