Samantha Harmer: Triple Threat
How One College Bound Student is Breaking
For Samantha, education became an outlet, a clear path forward. Like for the characters on screen, college offered a chance at a profession, a meaningful income, an opportunity to better herself. It was also a chance for her to break the cycle of foster care that had seized her family and separated her from her mom and nine siblings by hundreds of miles – from Utah to San Diego.
Despite these circumstances, Samantha excelled in school. She remained focused and, in the end, Hollywood couldn’t have scripted a better outcome for her. In December, she will graduate from University of California San Diego with three bachelor’s degrees: Political Science, Communications and Sociology. She’s a triple threat!.
Statistics say that Samantha is an anomaly; that former foster youth are more likely to become homeless than to graduate from college; that less than 6 percent will achieve a single degree, let alone three. But Samantha refuses to be defined by statistics. And she doesn’t want her peers to be either.
“I didn’t have a lot of money. I didn’t have transportation. I didn’t really know how to apply for jobs. My foster placement didn’t let me work when I was in high school. I didn’t’ really know how to do a lot.”
“I remember my first impression of JIT was just so amazing. Everyone was so kind and welcoming. I knew that this was the environment that I wanted to be in. My first year of college, I used to always ride the trolley from UCSD to Just in Time. There were really good workshops on time management and all kinds of things! I wanted to get as much knowledge as I could because I didn’t quite know what I needed to do to be successful.”
Samantha is not done achieving. She plans to apply to a duel master’s program at UC Irvine for Forensic Psychology and Law, and later to law school. Her goal is to start her own law firm representing minors within the juvenile court system.
During her time at JIT, Samantha has participated in Career Horizons For Young Women, Financial Fitness and Pathways to Financial Power.
LASTING IMPACT
NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOK
100K COMMUNITY
STAFF
ANNUAL REPORT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INVESTORS & SPONSORS
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
FINANCIALS
FAQS
LASTING IMPACT
NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOK
100K COMMUNITY
STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INVESTORS & SPONSORS
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
FINANCIALS
ANNUAL REPORT
FAQS
LASTING IMPACT
NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOK
100K COMMUNITY
STAFF
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INVESTORS & SPONSORS
COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS
FINANCIALS
ANNUAL REPORT
FAQS
Block Party 3/30/2024
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Rise to Resilience Retreat 3/9/2024
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I Love Community Week 2/22-23/2024
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EMERGENCY NEEDS & STABLE HOUSING
RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
ESSENTIAL EDUCATION
MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT
FINANCIAL LITERACY
HEALTHY PRACTICES & WELLBEING
Welcome to JIT!
We're excited to meet you! More than half our staff are former foster youth, many of us have participated in JIT’s services. We understand first-hand the challenges that each of us face on our path to self-sufficiency. And we are proof that having essential resources and consistent relationships with caring adults can have a lasting positive impact. Reliable, Responsive Real– JIT peers, coaches and staff share a common commitment to empowering you. Welcome to YOUR new community.
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